The Manfredonia accidental release of arsenic took place near the Italian town

Manfredonia Manfredonia is a town and commune of Apulia, Italy, in the province of Foggia, from which it is northeast by rail. Manfredonia is situated on the coast, facing east, to the south of Monte Gargano, and gives its name to the gulf to the east of i ...

in September 1976 at the Enichem petrochemical plant, which produced fertilizers and

caprolactam Caprolactam (CPL) is an organic compound with the formula (CH2)5C(O)NH. This colourless solid is a lactam (a cyclic amide) of caproic acid. Global demand for this compound is approximately five million tons per year, and the vast majority is used ...

, a precursor in the manufacture of

nylon Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers composed of polyamides ( repeating units linked by amide links).The polyamides may be aliphatic or semi-aromatic. Nylon is a silk-like thermoplastic, generally made from petro ...

. A scrubbing tower for the synthesis of

ammonia Ammonia is an inorganic compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . A stable binary hydride, and the simplest pnictogen hydride, ammonia is a colourless gas with a distinct pungent smell. Biologically, it is a common nitrogenous was ...

gases blew up, releasing into the atmosphere several tons of

potassium carbonate Potassium carbonate is the inorganic compound with the formula K2 CO3. It is a white salt, which is soluble in water. It is deliquescent, often appearing as a damp or wet solid. Potassium carbonate is mainly used in the production of soap and gl ...

and bicarbonate solution containing

arsenic trioxide Arsenic trioxide, sold under the brand name Trisenox among others, is an inorganic compound and medication. As an industrial chemical, whose major uses include in the manufacture of wood preservatives, pesticides, and glass. As a medication, i ...

. One hundred and fifty people were admitted to the local hospital for arsenic poisoning.Francesco Tomaiuolo ''1976-2006: trent’anni di arsenico all’Enichem di Manfredonia'' Bollettino di storia e ambiente - Numero 12/2004

References

1976 health disasters 1976 industrial disasters M Accidental Release Arsenic 1976 Arsenic 1976 in Italy September 1976 events in Europe 1976 disasters in Italy {{disaster-stub