40 years later: Bhopal is still in crisis скачать в хорошем качестве

40 years later: Bhopal is still in crisis

Just over 40 years ago, on a chilly December night, the world’s worst industrial disaster struck the residents of a Bhopal neighborhood. More than 500,000 people were exposed to a cloud of toxic gases that escaped from Union Carbide’s pesticide plant and wafted through dense settlements near the factory. The accident was the result of a runaway reaction involving methyl isocyanate (MIC), which the company used to make carbamate pesticides. All safety systems for stopping such a leak were absent or out of order. Thousands died within days of the disaster, and estimates suggest that about 20,000 people who had been exposed to the gases perished in subsequent years. Many of those who are still alive grapple with long-term health problems, particularly respiratory disorders. People exposed to the toxic gases have reported pregnancy losses, irregular menstrual cycles and excessive menstrual bleeding, and premature menopause. A recent study suggested that men whose mothers had been exposed to the gases while pregnant with them were more likely to have a disability that affected their employment. These men also faced high risks of developing cancer by age 30. Stay up to date with the most important chemistry news. Subscribe to C&EN's weekly newsletter at cenm.ag/signmeup.