Safety data phosgene:
"Phosgene is an insidious poison as the odor may not be noticed and symptoms may be slow to appear.[7] Like many reactive chlorides, phosgene combines with water in the tissues of the respiratory tract to form hydrochloric acid. Phosgene is stable when stored in dry steel containers.[3]. Phosgene is a member of a class of organic chemicals known as alkylating agents.[citation needed] These agents can react with both DNA and with enzymes (polymerases) that are responsible for replication of DNA in cells".