methyl isocyanate

chemical compound

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Last updated

June 30, 2026

Quick Summary

Methyl isocyanate (MIC) is an extremely toxic chemical compound with the formula CH₃NCO. It is primarily used in the manufacture of pesticides.1

A significant event involving methyl isocyanate was the Bhopal disaster in 1984. In this industrial accident, approximately 45 tons of methyl isocyanate gas leaked from an insecticide plant in Bhopal, India. The leak resulted in the immediate deaths of thousands and caused long-term health issues for hundreds of thousands of survivors. Investigations revealed that substandard operating and safety procedures contributed to the disaster.2

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Bhopal
History
…tons of the dangerous gas methyl isocyanate escaped from an insecticide plant that was owned by the Indian subsidiary of the American firm Union Carbide Corporation. The gas drifted over the densely populated neighborhoods around the plant, killing thousands of people immediately and creating a panic as tens of thousands…
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…tons of the dangerous gas methyl isocyanate escaped from an insecticide plant that was owned by the Indian subsidiary of the American firm Union Carbide Corporation. The gas drifted over the densely populated neighborhoods around the plant, killing thousands of people immediately and creating a panic as tens of thousands…
Read More