氯化苦在常温常压下是不溶于水的无色液体,且不与水发生反应。它的蒸汽压是24 mm Hg,挥发性与光气接近,介于光气与芥子气之间。[2] 氯化苦能以吸入、进食及经皮肤进入人体。它对眼睛、皮肤和肺部均具有强烈的刺激性:实验证明其刺激性会使人不由自主地闭上眼睛;溅入眼睛之后则会使角膜水肿甚至液化。[5][6] 因此,氯化苦只能以毒气弹的形式用作化学武器。[2]
^ 2.02.12.22.32.4Amos Alfred Fries; Clarence Jay West. Chemical warfare. McGraw-Hill book company, inc. 1921: 144.引文使用过时参数coauthors (帮助)
^ 3.03.1Sartori, Mario. The War Gases. D. Van Nostrand Company, Incorporated. 1940.
^Sheldon B. Markofsky "Nitro Compounds, Aliphatic" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2005.
^Chloropicrin (PS): Lung Damaging Agent (页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆). National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Emergency Response Safety and Health Database, August 22, 2008. Retrieved December 23, 2008.