Editing Afterdamp (section)

{{short description|Toxic gas mixture resulting from coal mining explosion}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2019}}
'''Afterdamp''' is the toxic mixture of gases left in a mine following an explosion caused by [[methane]]-rich [[firedamp]], which itself can initiate a much larger explosion of [[coal dust]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia | year = 1881 | title = After-damp
 | encyclopedia = A Glossary of Mining and Metallurgical Terms | publisher = American Institute of Mining Engineers | location = Easton, Pennsylvania | url= https://archive.org/details/glossaryofmining00raymuoft}}</ref> The term is etymologically and practically related to other terms for underground mine gases—such as [[firedamp]], [[white damp]], and [[black damp]], with afterdamp being composed, rather, primarily by [[carbon dioxide]], [[carbon monoxide]] and [[nitrogen]], with highly toxic [[stinkdamp]]-constituent [[hydrogen sulfide]] possibly also present. However, the high content of carbon monoxide is the component that kills, preferentially combining with [[haemoglobin]] in the blood and thus depriving victims of [[oxygen]].{{citation needed lead|date=January 2022}} Globally, afterdamp has caused many of the casualties in disasters of pit coalfields, including British, such as the [[Senghenydd colliery disaster]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Universal Colliery Explosion - Senghenydd - 1913 |url=https://nmrs.org.uk/mines-map/accidents-disasters/glamorganshire/universal-colliery-explosion-senghenydd-1913/ |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=Northern Mine Research Society |language=en-US}}</ref> Such disasters continue to afflict working mines, for instance in mainland China.