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Chemicals responsible for the Bhopal gas tragedy were
  • a)
    CO2 and CH4
  • b)
    phosgene and methyl isocyanate
  • c)
    polychlorinated biphenyls
  • d)
    dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
Chemicals responsible for the Bhopal gas tragedy werea)CO2 and CH4b)ph...
The Bhopal disaster or Bhopal gas tragedy was an industrial accident. It happened at a Union Carbide subsidiary pesticide plant in the city of Bhopal, India. On the night of 2-3 December 1984, the plant released approximately 40 tonnes of toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas, exposing more than 500,000 people to toxic gases. The plant in Bhopal where the disaster happened started to produce 'Carbaryl' in 1977. Carbaryl is mainly used as an insecticide. The disaster happened because water entered a tank containing Methyl isocyanate. This caused a chemical reaction which resulted in the buildup of much Carbon dioxide, among other things. The resulting reaction increased the temperature inside the tank to reach over 200 °C (392 °F). The pressure was more than the tank was built to withstand. The tank had valves to control the pressure. These were triggered in an emergency, which reduced the pressure. As a result, large amounts of toxic gases were released into the environment. 
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Chemicals responsible for the Bhopal gas tragedy werea)CO2 and CH4b)ph...
The correct answer is option 'B': phosgene and methyl isocyanate.

Explanation:
The Bhopal gas tragedy, also known as the Bhopal disaster, occurred on the night of December 2-3, 1984, in Bhopal, India. It was one of the world's worst industrial disasters and resulted in the death of thousands of people and caused widespread health issues for many years.

The chemicals responsible for the Bhopal gas tragedy were phosgene and methyl isocyanate (MIC). Let's discuss each of these chemicals in detail:

1. Phosgene: Phosgene (COCl2) is a highly toxic gas that was used as a chemical weapon during World War I. It is a colorless gas with a suffocating odor. Phosgene is produced by the reaction of chlorine gas (Cl2) with carbon monoxide (CO). In the context of the Bhopal gas tragedy, phosgene was not the primary chemical responsible, but it was present as an impurity in the storage tanks of methyl isocyanate.

2. Methyl isocyanate (MIC): Methyl isocyanate (CH3NCO) is an extremely toxic and volatile chemical compound. It is used in the production of pesticides, particularly carbamate pesticides like carbaryl. In the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) plant in Bhopal, MIC was stored in large tanks. Due to a series of safety lapses and maintenance issues, water entered one of the MIC storage tanks, leading to a runaway reaction and the release of a large amount of toxic gas into the surrounding areas.

The release of MIC gas from the storage tank resulted in immediate and long-term health effects for the residents of Bhopal. The gas caused respiratory distress, eye irritation, blindness, skin burns, and other severe health problems. Thousands of people died within the first few days, and the long-term effects of exposure to MIC are still being felt in the affected communities.

In conclusion, the Bhopal gas tragedy was caused by the release of phosgene and methyl isocyanate gases. These chemicals, particularly methyl isocyanate, caused immense harm to the people of Bhopal and highlighted the need for stringent safety measures in industrial plants to prevent such disasters from occurring in the future.
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Chemicals responsible for the Bhopal gas tragedy werea)CO2 and CH4b)phosgene and methyl isocyanatec)polychlorinated biphenylsd)dichloro diphenyl trichloroethaneCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?
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