In 1984, the Bhopal gas tragedy took place because methyl isocyanate :-
A
Reacted with ammonia
B
Reacted with $CO_2$
C
Reacted with water
D
Reacted with DDT
The answer is C.
Solution
In December 1984, a large amount of methyl isocyanate (MIC, $CH_3NCO$) gas leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide factory in Bhopal. Water entered a storage tank of MIC. MIC reacts with water in a strongly exothermic reaction: $CH_3NCO + H_2O \rightarrow CH_3NH_2 + CO_2$ (with release of a large amount of heat) The heat raised the temperature and pressure in the tank, and the safety systems failed, so a cloud of toxic MIC gas escaped into the city. Thousands of people died and many more suffered lung and eye damage. So the tragedy took place because methyl isocyanate reacted with water.
ConceptMethyl isocyanate leak in Bhopal
Environmental Issues in past papers
94 questions from this chapter have appeared across 24 exam years.
