Etude d'une atmosphere de travail interactions chlore-ethene en atmosphere simulee

The main purpose of this work was to be a study, within a simulated atmosphere, of the chlorine-ethylene interactions in order to define more accurately whether they would lead to the formation of chloroethylene, a carcinogenic substance. We have also aimed at assessing the toxicity of the reaction medium under various concentrations and irradiation and humidity conditions. The presence of chloroethylene has never been detected though its following tri- and tetra-chlorinated homologues have been observed during unirradiated reactions. On the other hand, the sampling method described in this paper and the analysis method we used, i.e. gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy, have revealed the presence of many other substances, some of them being just as toxic, e.g. chloroethanal or 2-chloroethanol obtained under u.v. irradiation. The presence, as well as the formation and disappearance rate of the various reaction products thus obtained, are closely related to operational conditions. We have been able to put forward formation mechanisms for the main quoted compounds.