Home >
Community >
Is Fluorine more toxic than Chlorine?
Upvote
VOTE
Downvote
+ Chemistry
+ Toxicity
Posted by
Mark Neidorff
Is Fluorine more toxic than Chlorine?
Fluorine is much more reactive than chlorine and would certainly cause more damage to living tissues. You can even check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtWp45Eewtw for some fun demonstrations of its oxidizing power too!
Likewise, compared to chlorine gas, I'd assume fluorine munitions would be significantly harder to manufacture, store, and handle for any side attempting to wield them in combat. (And, as Waylander mentioned in the comments, especially for "WW1-era technology" too!)
Also, due to its great reactivity, fluorine gas will readily react even with the atmospheric humidity to form hydrogen fluoride: $$\ce{2F2(g) + 2H2O(g) -> 4HF(g) + O2(g)}$$ which, while still toxic, is much lighter than chlorine gas and so may not be as good at staying "close to the ground" and/or "flowing down" into an enemy's trenches as intended. Or even worse -- potentially thus dispersing even back to your own troops and damaging them as well!
Fluorine is much more reactive than chlorine and would certainly cause more damage to living tissues. You can even check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtWp45Eewtw for some fun demonstrations of its oxidizing power too!
Likewise, compared to chlorine gas, I'd assume fluorine munitions would be significantly harder to manufacture, store, and handle for any side attempting to wield them in combat. (And, as Waylander mentioned in the comments, especially for "WW1-era technology" too!)
Also, due to its great reactivity, fluorine gas will readily react even with the atmospheric humidity to form hydrogen fluoride: $$\ce{2F2(g) + 2H2O(g) -> 4HF(g) + O2(g)}$$ which, while still toxic, is much lighter than chlorine gas and so may not be as good at staying "close to the ground" and/or "flowing down" into an enemy's trenches as intended. Or even worse -- potentially thus dispersing even back to your own troops and damaging them as well!
@Poutnik TIL about hypervalent bonding. Fluorine is so reactive it forces chlorine to take 3 more electrons, kinda. Also, while reading, I came across "The discovery of chlorine pentafluoride rendered ClF3 obsolete as a potential rocket fuel oxidizer." So theres that.More
Upvote
VOTE
Downvote
more replies
In addition to the excellent comments about handling issues (not to mention the general issues with poison gas as a weapon), production of elemental flourine remains an expensive proposition even now (most use of fluorine in industry never involves conversion to the element, but essentially movement of CaF2 to HF to various flourinated products). Conversely production of Cl2 gas was and is a massive chemical industry, with caustic soda as a byproduct. It's much easier/cheaper than making elemental fluorine.
In addition to the excellent comments about handling issues (not to mention the general issues with poison gas as a weapon), production of elemental flourine remains an expensive proposition even now (most use of fluorine in industry never involves conversion to the element, but essentially movement of CaF2 to HF to various flourinated products). Conversely production of Cl2 gas was and is a massive chemical industry, with caustic soda as a byproduct. It's much easier/cheaper than making elemental fluorine.
large scale production of F. During WWII chemical weapons were stockpiled but not really used on the battlefield; they were of course used during the holocaustMore
Fluorine is much more reactive than chlorine and would certainly cause more damage to living tissues. You can even check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtWp45Eewtw for some fun demonstrations of its oxidizing power too!
Likewise, compared to chlorine gas, I'd assume fluorine munitions would be significantly harder to manufacture, store, and handle for any side attempting to wield them in combat. (And, as Waylander mentioned in the comments, especially for "WW1-era technology" too!)
Also, due to its great reactivity, fluorine gas will readily react even with the atmospheric humidity to form hydrogen fluoride: $$\ce{2F2(g) + 2H2O(g) -> 4HF(g) + O2(g)}$$ which, while still toxic, is much lighter than chlorine gas and so may not be as good at staying "close to the ground" and/or "flowing down" into an enemy's trenches as intended. Or even worse -- potentially thus dispersing even back to your own troops and damaging them as well!
Fluorine is much more reactive than chlorine and would certainly cause more damage to living tissues. You can even check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtWp45Eewtw for some fun demonstrations of its oxidizing power too!
Likewise, compared to chlorine gas, I'd assume fluorine munitions would be significantly harder to manufacture, store, and handle for any side attempting to wield them in combat. (And, as Waylander mentioned in the comments, especially for "WW1-era technology" too!)
Also, due to its great reactivity, fluorine gas will readily react even with the atmospheric humidity to form hydrogen fluoride: $$\ce{2F2(g) + 2H2O(g) -> 4HF(g) + O2(g)}$$ which, while still toxic, is much lighter than chlorine gas and so may not be as good at staying "close to the ground" and/or "flowing down" into an enemy's trenches as intended. Or even worse -- potentially thus dispersing even back to your own troops and damaging them as well!
More
VOTE
VOTE
VOTE
VOTE
VOTE
VOTE
In addition to the excellent comments about handling issues (not to mention the general issues with poison gas as a weapon), production of elemental flourine remains an expensive proposition even now (most use of fluorine in industry never involves conversion to the element, but essentially movement of CaF2 to HF to various flourinated products). Conversely production of Cl2 gas was and is a massive chemical industry, with caustic soda as a byproduct. It's much easier/cheaper than making elemental fluorine.
In addition to the excellent comments about handling issues (not to mention the general issues with poison gas as a weapon), production of elemental flourine remains an expensive proposition even now (most use of fluorine in industry never involves conversion to the element, but essentially movement of CaF2 to HF to various flourinated products). Conversely production of Cl2 gas was and is a massive chemical industry, with caustic soda as a byproduct. It's much easier/cheaper than making elemental fluorine.
More
VOTE
From:
Section 11, toxicity:
From:
Section 11, toxicity:
More
VOTE
VOTE
VOTE
VOTE