By Monique and JordynBy Monique and Jordyn

• Chemical Warfare-Chemical Warfare- Warfare (and Warfare (and associated military associated military operations) using the operations) using the toxic properties of toxic properties of chemical substances chemical substances to kill, injure or to kill, injure or incapacitate an incapacitate an enemy.enemy.

CHEMICAL WEAPONSCHEMICAL WEAPONS

• How Chemical Weapons WorkHow Chemical Weapons Work--Chemical agents may be released as tiny Chemical agents may be released as tiny droplets, similar to the action of a bug droplets, similar to the action of a bug bomb used to release insecticide. For a bomb used to release insecticide. For a chemical weapon to cause harm, it must chemical weapon to cause harm, it must come in contact with the skin or mucous come in contact with the skin or mucous membranes, be inhaled, or be ingested. membranes, be inhaled, or be ingested. The activity of the chemical agent The activity of the chemical agent depends on its concentration. In other depends on its concentration. In other words, below a certain level of exposure, words, below a certain level of exposure, the agent won't kill. Below a certain level the agent won't kill. Below a certain level of exposure, the agent won't cause harm.of exposure, the agent won't cause harm.

HISTORYHISTORY

• Chemical warfare has been used for Chemical warfare has been used for millennia. millennia.

• It began with poisoned arrows derived It began with poisoned arrows derived from scorpion or snake venom, and some from scorpion or snake venom, and some plants.plants.

• From the 4From the 4thth century BC, writings have century BC, writings have been found describing the use of been found describing the use of poisonous smoke from burning balls of poisonous smoke from burning balls of mustard.mustard.

HISTORYHISTORY

• In World War I, tear and mustard gas In World War I, tear and mustard gas were used as chemical weapon were used as chemical weapon agents. 85,000 fatalities were agents. 85,000 fatalities were directly caused by this.directly caused by this.

• In World War II, a type of insecticide In World War II, a type of insecticide was used to kill several million was used to kill several million people in extermination camps.people in extermination camps.

TYPES OF CHEMICAL TYPES OF CHEMICAL WARFAREWARFARE

• Blood agentsBlood agents

• Blister agentsBlister agents

• Nerve agentsNerve agents

• Pulmonary agentsPulmonary agents

• Incapacitating Incapacitating agentsagents

• Riot Control AgentsRiot Control Agents

• Psychotomimetic Psychotomimetic agentsagents

CLASSIFICATIONCLASSIFICATION

• Schedule 1- Have few legitimate Schedule 1- Have few legitimate uses.uses.

• Schedule 2- Used in small- scale.Schedule 2- Used in small- scale.

• Schedule 3- Large- scale industrial Schedule 3- Large- scale industrial uses.uses.

HYDROGEN CYANIDEHYDROGEN CYANIDE

• Blood agentBlood agent

• Colorless gas or pale blueColorless gas or pale bluehighly volatile liquidhighly volatile liquid

• Prevents cellular respirationPrevents cellular respiration

SYMPTOMS OF HYDROGEN SYMPTOMS OF HYDROGEN CYANIDECYANIDE

• If inhaled, it produces If inhaled, it produces vomiting, vomiting, convulsions, convulsions, respiratory failure respiratory failure and unconsciousness. and unconsciousness. If it is a very high If it is a very high concentration, there concentration, there will be no symptoms will be no symptoms and a person may and a person may collapse suddenly collapse suddenly and die.and die.

ANTIDOTE TO HYDROGEN ANTIDOTE TO HYDROGEN CYANIDECYANIDE

• It is treated by It is treated by speeding up the speeding up the body's own ability to body's own ability to excrete cyanide and excrete cyanide and to bind cyanide in the to bind cyanide in the blood. By supplying blood. By supplying sulphur in the form of sulphur in the form of sodium thiosulphate sodium thiosulphate (Na2S2O3) this (Na2S2O3) this detoxification can take detoxification can take place. place.

SULFUR MUSTARD GASSULFUR MUSTARD GAS

• Blister agentBlister agent

• Odorless, colorless and causes large Odorless, colorless and causes large blisters to form on exposed skinblisters to form on exposed skin

• No immediate symptoms; it takes 4 No immediate symptoms; it takes 4 to 24 hours to develop.to 24 hours to develop.

• Exposure of over 50% of body Exposure of over 50% of body surface area is usually fatal.surface area is usually fatal.

APPEARANCE OF MUSTARD APPEARANCE OF MUSTARD AGENTAGENT

SYMPTOMS OF BLISTER SYMPTOMS OF BLISTER AGENTAGENT

• Mustard affects the skin, eyes, lungs, Mustard affects the skin, eyes, lungs, gastro-intestinal tract, and also gastro-intestinal tract, and also internal organs may be injured.internal organs may be injured.

• Severe skin damage occurs.Severe skin damage occurs.

• Due to damage to the lungs, Due to damage to the lungs, “chemical pneumonia” sometimes “chemical pneumonia” sometimes takes place. takes place.

ANTIDOTES TO BLISTER ANTIDOTES TO BLISTER AGENTSAGENTS

• There is no There is no antidote for the antidote for the cause of injury. cause of injury. One may only treat One may only treat the symptoms.the symptoms.

• Victim must be Victim must be decontaminated by decontaminated by removal of clothing, removal of clothing, shaving hair, and shaving hair, and rinsing eyes. Next, rinsing eyes. Next, one must prevent one must prevent infection with infection with antibiotics. Pain antibiotics. Pain killers and perhaps killers and perhaps plastic surgery are plastic surgery are used.used.

TABUNTABUN

• Nerve agent; interferes with normal Nerve agent; interferes with normal functioning of nervous systemfunctioning of nervous system

• One of the world’s most dangerous One of the world’s most dangerous military weaponsmilitary weapons

• If inhaled a lethal amount, it is fatal If inhaled a lethal amount, it is fatal within 10 minutes. If absorbed, within within 10 minutes. If absorbed, within 1-2 hours.1-2 hours.

SYMPTOMS OF NERVE SYMPTOMS OF NERVE AGENT AGENT

• When exposed to a When exposed to a small amount of nerve small amount of nerve agent, characteristic agent, characteristic symptoms are increased symptoms are increased production of saliva, a production of saliva, a running nose and a running nose and a feeling of pressure on feeling of pressure on the chest. Also, short-the chest. Also, short-range vision deteriorates range vision deteriorates and headaches, and headaches, hallucinations, and hallucinations, and nausea occur. nausea occur.

• When exposed to When exposed to higher amounts, the higher amounts, the victim may have victim may have trouble breathing, and trouble breathing, and develop cramps and develop cramps and vomiting. Also, one vomiting. Also, one might experience might experience convulsions, convulsions, involuntary discharge involuntary discharge of urine, and saliva.of urine, and saliva.

ANTIDOTE FOR NERVE ANTIDOTE FOR NERVE AGENTSAGENTS

• Must be treated Must be treated immediatelyimmediately

• Auto-injectors Auto-injectors containing containing antidotes to nerve antidotes to nerve agents are used in agents are used in many countriesmany countries

• It is easy enough It is easy enough that one may inject that one may inject oneselfoneself

AGENT 15AGENT 15

• Incapacitating agentIncapacitating agent

• Causes stupor and confusionCauses stupor and confusion

• Creates illusions and hallucinationsCreates illusions and hallucinations

PEPPER SPRAYPEPPER SPRAY

• Riot control agentRiot control agent

• Irritates the eyes to Irritates the eyes to cause tears, pain, cause tears, pain, and even and even temporary temporary blindness blindness

• Used for riot Used for riot control and self-control and self-defensedefense

PROTECTIVE MEASURESPROTECTIVE MEASURES

• The best protective measure you can The best protective measure you can take against chemical weapons is to take against chemical weapons is to become educated about them. Most of become educated about them. Most of us don't have gas masks or atropine us don't have gas masks or atropine (an injectible used in cases of nerve (an injectible used in cases of nerve agent exposure) and won't be on a agent exposure) and won't be on a battlefield, so the recommendations battlefield, so the recommendations presented here are intended for the presented here are intended for the general public. general public.

• Don't PanicDon't Panic-Yes, -Yes, chemical weapons are chemical weapons are more likely to be used more likely to be used in a terrorist scenario in a terrorist scenario than nuclear or than nuclear or biological weapons. biological weapons. However, there are However, there are several steps you can several steps you can take to minimize take to minimize exposure and protect exposure and protect yourself in the event yourself in the event you encounter a you encounter a chemical agent. chemical agent. Realistically speaking, Realistically speaking, you are more likely to you are more likely to witness an accidental witness an accidental chemical spill than a chemical spill than a chemical attack. Your chemical attack. Your best defense is to face best defense is to face the situation with a the situation with a level head.level head.

• Seek High Seek High GroundGround-Chemical -Chemical agents are more agents are more dense than air. dense than air. They sink to low-They sink to low-lying areas and will lying areas and will follow follow wind/weather wind/weather patterns. Seek the patterns. Seek the highest storey of a highest storey of a building or the top building or the top of a natural land of a natural land formation.formation.

• Seek Open Spaces or Seek a Self-Seek Open Spaces or Seek a Self-Contained Air SupplyContained Air Supply-From the point of -From the point of view of a terrorist, a heavily populated view of a terrorist, a heavily populated area is a more attractive target than a area is a more attractive target than a sparsely populated region. Therefore, the sparsely populated region. Therefore, the threat of a chemical attack is lessened in threat of a chemical attack is lessened in rural areas. In the event of an attack, rural areas. In the event of an attack, there is some sense in isolating your air there is some sense in isolating your air supply. Most chemical agents disperse supply. Most chemical agents disperse after a certain amount of time (a notable after a certain amount of time (a notable exception is VX, which is designed to exception is VX, which is designed to persist), so refraining from contacting persist), so refraining from contacting exposed air may be a good protective exposed air may be a good protective measure. measure.

• Use Your SensesUse Your Senses-How do you know if you -How do you know if you have been exposed to a chemical agent? have been exposed to a chemical agent? You may not be able to see or smell one. In You may not be able to see or smell one. In their pure forms, most chemical weapon their pure forms, most chemical weapon agents are clear liquids. Impure chemicals agents are clear liquids. Impure chemicals may be yellowish liquids. Most are odorless may be yellowish liquids. Most are odorless and tasteless, but some have a slightly and tasteless, but some have a slightly sweet or fruity smell. Skin irritation, sweet or fruity smell. Skin irritation, respiratory distress, and gastrointestinal respiratory distress, and gastrointestinal upset all may signal exposure to a upset all may signal exposure to a chemical agent. However, if you don't die chemical agent. However, if you don't die within minutes, you probably won't die at within minutes, you probably won't die at all. Therefore, if you believe you have been all. Therefore, if you believe you have been exposed to a chemical agent, wait until you exposed to a chemical agent, wait until you feel sure before seeking out medical feel sure before seeking out medical attention (but do seek it out). attention (but do seek it out).

• Use Common Use Common SenseSense-Have a -Have a radio (with radio (with batteries) and batteries) and keep up with the keep up with the news. Pay news. Pay attention to civil attention to civil defense defense advisories and advisories and think before think before acting. acting.