What symptoms can occur with chlorine exposure?

Chlorine is a potent irritant, particularly to the respiratory system, and exposure to it can lead to a variety of symptoms due to its chemical properties. The symptoms associated with chlorine exposure, specifically coughing, wheezing, and pulmonary edema, arise because chlorine gas can damage lung tissue and provoke acute respiratory distress.

When inhaled, chlorine irritates the airways and can cause an inflammatory response, leading to coughing and wheezing as the body attempts to clear the irritant. In more severe cases, or with higher concentrations of exposure, this irritation can progress to pulmonary edema, where fluid accumulates in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe and reducing the efficiency of gas exchange.

This symptom cluster is a direct consequence of chlorine's action as a respiratory irritant, distinguishing it from other possible symptoms that may be related to different situations or exposures. The other options, while they may include symptoms that can arise in other contexts, do not specifically align with the well-known effects of chlorine inhalation.