phosgene is just one chemical present here. its formed from combustion of vinyl chloride, but in relatively small amounts. this article (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0002889718506429) has a pretty good breakdown of vinyl chloride combustion composition. the HCl is the most dangerous because it evaporates to form atmospheric hydrochloric acid leading to acid rain. the carbon monoxide from combustion is also a big health risk. also the vinyl chloride itself is toxic and carcinogenic and a ton of it boiled off into the atmosphere before they started the controlled burns.
good points. norfolk southern released the contents of each car here: https://response.epa.gov/sites/15933/files/TRAIN%2032N%20-%20EAST%20PALESTINE%20-%20derail%20list%20Norfolk%20Southern%20document.pdf . looks like the benzene cars were empty, so there is a bright side, but benzene is nothing compared to vinyl chloride. some simple hydrocarbons as well as some ethers and esters, so those are some additional toxic and flammable contaminants. also a bunch of tankers were filled with glycols which arent haz class but they are still toxic (actually some of the glycols are nontoxic, but diethylene glycol, of which there were 3 cars, is pretty toxic)
i would have thought that you need something with a phenyl group to form dioxins and those benzene tankers being empty was really lucky, but chemistry at really high heat is truly an enigma so ig dioxins will form :(
phosgene is just one chemical present here. its formed from combustion of vinyl chloride, but in relatively small amounts. this article (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0002889718506429) has a pretty good breakdown of vinyl chloride combustion composition. the HCl is the most dangerous because it evaporates to form atmospheric hydrochloric acid leading to acid rain. the carbon monoxide from combustion is also a big health risk. also the vinyl chloride itself is toxic and carcinogenic and a ton of it boiled off into the atmosphere before they started the controlled burns.
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good points. norfolk southern released the contents of each car here: https://response.epa.gov/sites/15933/files/TRAIN%2032N%20-%20EAST%20PALESTINE%20-%20derail%20list%20Norfolk%20Southern%20document.pdf . looks like the benzene cars were empty, so there is a bright side, but benzene is nothing compared to vinyl chloride. some simple hydrocarbons as well as some ethers and esters, so those are some additional toxic and flammable contaminants. also a bunch of tankers were filled with glycols which arent haz class but they are still toxic (actually some of the glycols are nontoxic, but diethylene glycol, of which there were 3 cars, is pretty toxic)
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i would have thought that you need something with a phenyl group to form dioxins and those benzene tankers being empty was really lucky, but chemistry at really high heat is truly an enigma so ig dioxins will form :(
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