It is estimated that there are about 3,300 accidents needing hospital treatment caused by<unk>  solutions each year in British homes (RoSPA, 2002). Oxidation and corrosion<unk>  is a strong oxidizer. Oxidation reactions are corrosive. Solutions burn the skin and cause eye damage, especially when used in concentrated forms. As recognized by the NFPA, however, only solutions containing more than 40%<unk>  by weight are considered hazardous oxidizers. Solutions less than 40% are classified as a moderate oxidizing hazard (NFPA 430, 2000). Household bleach and pool chlorinator solutions are typically stabilized by a significant concentration of lye (caustic soda, NaOH) as part of the manufacturing reaction. This additive will by itself cause caustic irritation or burns due to defatting and saponification of skin oils and destruction of tissue. The slippery feel of bleach on skin is due to this process. Storage hazards Contact of<unk>  solutions with metals may evolve flammable hydrogen gas. Containers may explode when heated due to release of chlorine gas.<unk>  solutions are corrosive to common container materials such as stainless steel and aluminium. The few compatible metals include titanium (which however is not compatible with dry chlorine) and tantalum. Glass containers are safe. Some plastics and rubbers are affected too; safe choices include polyethylene (PE), high density polyethylene (HDPE, PE-HD), polypropylene (PP), some chlorinated and fluorinated polymers such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF); as well as ethylene propylene rubber, and Viton. Containers must allow venting of oxygen produced by decomposition over time, otherwise they may burst. Reactions with other common products Mixing bleach with some household cleaners can be hazardous.<unk>  solutions, such as liquid bleach, will release toxic chlorine gas when mixed with an acid, such as hydrochloric acid or vinegar. A 2008 study indicated that<unk>  and organic chemicals (e.g., surfactants, fragrances) contained in several household cleaning products can react to generate chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These chlorinated compounds are emitted during cleaning applications, some of which are toxic and probable human carcinogens. The study<unk> owed that indoor air concentrations significantly increase (8–52 times for chloroform and 1–1170 times for carbon tetrachloride, respectively, above baseline quantities in the household) during the use of bleach containing products. The increase in chlorinated volatile organic compound concentrations was the lowest for plain bleach and the highest for the products in the form of "thick liquid and gel." The significant increases observed in indoor air concentrations of several chlorinated VOCs (especially carbon tetrachloride and chloroform) indicate that the bleach use may be a source that could be important in terms of inhalation exposure to these compounds. The authors suggested that using these cleaning products may significantly increase the cancer risk. In particular, mixing<unk>  bleaches with amines (for example, cleaning products that contain or release ammonia, ammonium salts, urea, or related compounds and biological materials such as urine) produces chloramines. These gaseous products can cause acute lung injury. Chronic exposure, for example, from the air at swimming pools where chlorine is used as the disinfectant, can lead to the development of atopic asthma. Bleach can react violently with hydrogen peroxide and produce oxygen gas: :H2O2 (aq) +<unk>  (aq) →<unk> (aq) + H2O (aq) + O2 (g) Explosive reactions or byproducts can also occur in industrial and laboratory settings when<unk>  is mixed with diverse organic compounds. Limitations in health care The UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in October 2008 recommended that Dakin's solution<unk> ould not be used in routine wound care.
Sodium hypochlorite
Amylmetacresol
Sodium hydroxide
Povidone-iodine
Tetrachlorodecaoxide
Chloroethane
Denatured alcohol
Silver nitrate