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Naming History
The name for Chlorine comes from the Greek word chloros which means greenish yellow from the color that pure Chlorine gas is.
Discovery
Hydrochloric acid (HCl) has been known and used for many centuries by chemists often going by different names such as acidum salis or muriatic acid. The element, which exists naturally in a greenish-yellow gaseous state, was first isolated in 1774 by Carl Wilhelm Scheele by reaction hydrochloric acid with a form of manganese oxide (MnO2). Scheele did not realize that he had discovered a new element and instead proceeded to call the new gas dephlogisticated muriatic acid. More than 30 years later in 1807 Humphry Davy further investigated this compound and determined that it was indeed a new element which was formally recognized in 1820.
Characteristics
Chlorine is an extremely useful element for many biological, disease-prevention and industrial products but can cause many problems in the form of polluting organochlorine compounds and salt in the diet of humans.
There is around 3,000 parts per million (ppm) Chlorine in human blood.
Human bone contains roughly 900 ppm Chlorine.
Chlorine is also found in human tissues making up between 2,000 and 5,000 ppm.
Total there is aroun 95 g of Chlorine in the human body.
The Earth's crust contains Chlorine with a concentration of about 130 ppm, making it the 20th most abundant element.
Chlorine is also found in seawater making up about 1.8%.
Naturally Occurring Minerals
There are a few Chlorine based minerals including halite (NaCl), carnallite (KCl,MgCl2) and sylvite (KCl). World production of Chlorine is around 250 million tonnes per year and is produced in almost every country. Some leading producers of Chlroine include China (60 million tonnes), USA (40 million tonnes), India (20 million tonnes), Canada (12 million tonnes), Brazil (11 million tonnes) and Australia (11 million tonnes).
Where can I find this element @ home
The most common place to find Chlorine in the house is in the form of table salt (NaCl) with people eating approximately 6 g per day.
Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is the main ingredient in bleach products.
Chlorinating drinking water to prevent disease has been done for years using hypochlorite salts.
Chloring is an important part of PVC a polymer used for many different applications.