WARFARE AGENTS
Anusha Dhammi Weerasooriya
Research Officer
National Poisons & Drug
Information Centre
Warfare Agents
Chemical Warfare Agents (CWA)
Biological Weapons (BW)
Agents
that choking or
that irritate the lungs
Blood agents
Blistering agents
Nerve agents
History
1915 –CW occurred during World War 1-German forces
released 160 tons of cl2 gas-killed 5000 soldiers.
 1915-1918 WW1 Ger & british forces used 113000 tons
of cl2,mustard gas, phosphene-killed 92000-1 million pe:
 1925- Geneva protocol banned using of CW and BW –
initially signed by 38 nations.Now over130 nations.
 1930-1940 WW11 didn’t use BW or CW But Germans
developed CW nerve agents Sarin,Tabun,Soman
 1970- During Vietnam War U.S. used defoliants
 1995 –Sarin gas released into the Tokyo subway
system,killed 12 people & injured over 5500 people in 16
stations.
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Definition
Any chemical which through its chemical
effect on living process may cause death,
temporary loss of performance or
permanent injury to people and animals.
CW Agents are
 Highly toxic
 Not too difficult to handle
 capable of being stored after long periods in containers without
degradation & corroding
 Resistant to atmospheric water & oxygen
 With stand the heat developed when dispersed
Chemical warfare agents
Highly toxic
 Not too difficult to handle
 Capable of being stored after long periods
in containers without degradation &
corroding
 Resistant to atmospheric water & oxygen
 Withstand the heat developed when
dispersed with an explosive device
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Chlorine and Phosgene
These can be gaseous or liquid forms
 Phosgene known as a carbonyl chloride
 Lethal type of choking and irritant agents
 Can act as aerosols and penetrate the
body through the Respiratory system
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Chlorine and Phosgene
Symptoms
Phosgene:
* Irritation Effects.
* Corrosive effects to the eyes(blurred
vision),skin and respiratory tract
* Long term:- Lung fibrosis of the lungs
causing impaired lung functions
Chlorine: Quickly burns tissues of the nose,
mouth and lungs
Hydrogen Cyanide and Cyanide salts
(Blood Agent)
Highly poisonous & sufficient concentrations,
rapidly leads to death.
Concentration(mg/m3)
300
200
150
120-150
50-60
20-40
Effect
Immediately lethal
Le: after 10 minutes
Le: after 30 min
fatal 30-60 min
20min-1 hr without effect
light sym:after several hrs.
Hydrogen Cyanide and Cyanide salts
(Blood Agent) contd…
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Colourless liquid, solid and gaseous forms avail:
Can wear a protective mask to reduce the threat
poorly bound to Active carbon.
Difficult to use out doors due to high volatility
Suddenly enters the blood stream and inhibit
the cytochrome-oxydase
Reduce the energy(ATP) and reduce the cell
respiration finally cell death and patient dies.
(eg:HCN,Cyanogen Chloride)
Hydrogen Cyanide and Cyanide salts
(Blood Agent)
Symptoms
Restlessness, giddiness, res: difficulty,
unconsciousness
 Extremely high concentrations, no times
for symptoms to develop, sudden collapse
and death.
 Antidote: Dicobolt editate and
hydroxocobalamin
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Arsines/CO(Blood Agent)
Aliphatic arsenic compounds are called
Lewisite
 Highly volatile colourless liquid
 Injuries are similar to mustard agents but
not delayed.
 Destroy the ability of the Hb component of
the Blood to bind Oxygen
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Arsines/CO(Blood Agent)
Symptoms
nasal and throat irritation
 Other symptoms are same as mustard
 Antidote: Dimercaptopropanol
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Mustard Agents
(Blistering Agent)
Eg: 2-Chloroethyl sulphide
 Can release from a baloon or aeroplane
 Colourless heavy oily liquid and almost
odourless
 Symptoms donot occur until 2-24hrs after
exposure
 Sp: attacks the blood generating organs.
 No Antidotes
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Mustard Agents
(Blistering Agent) Contd….
Attacks the blood generating organs
 (spleen, born marrow and lymphatic
tissues)
 Reduction of WBC
 Reduction immune defenses
 Risk of severe infection
 Severe skin and lung injuries
 No Antidotes
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Mustard Agents
(Blistering Agent) Symptoms
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Mild:Aching eyes with tears,
Inflammation of the skin
Irritation of the mucous membrane and
coughing, sneezing, hoarseness
Severe:
Loss of sight blisters on the skin
Vomiting and diarrhea
Severe respiratory difficulty
Pulmonary oedema & chemical pneumonia
Sarin Gas (Nerve gas)
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Extremely toxic nerve gas
Organophosphorus compound
Colourless and odourless
Attacks the nervous system.
In high concentrations, can kill within 2-15
minutes of exposure.
Eg: tabun, soman -G series
VX,VE,VG,VM-V Series-can kill within few
hours (low toxic)
Sarin Gas (Nerve gas)
Symptoms
Blurred vision
 Chest tightness
 Nausea,vomitting
 Increase heart rate
 Loss of consciousness
 Seizure
 Paralysis and death
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Biological Weapons(BW)
Naturally occurring organisms and their
toxins or mutant toxins cause diseases
 eg. Bacteria,Viruses,Plants
 Ideal Characteristics
 High infectivity
 High potency
 Non availability of vaccines
 Delivery as an aerosol
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Biological Weapons(BW)
Species
Anthrax
 Clostridium botulinum, C. perfringens
 Smallpox
 Ricinus(Ricin)
 Rout of Exposure
 Cutaneous, Inhalational, Oral
 Specially attacks the mouth, throat,
circulatory system, CNS and brain
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Biological Weapons(BW)
Symptoms
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Microbe
symptoms
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Bacillus anthracis
Pulmonary Anthrax
Septicemia, Flu-like symptoms
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Clostridium botulinum
Weakness, Double Vision and Vertigo,
Difficulty in Speaking, Swallowing, and
Breathing, Muscle Weakness
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Clostridium perfringens
Gas gangrene, Severe Abdominal Cramps,
Diarrhoea
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RICIN
Severe Abdominal Pain,
Watery and Bloody Diarrhea, Vomiting,
Weakness, Fever, Cough, and Pulmonary Edema
Variola Virus
Severe Abdominal Pain,
Watery and Bloody Diarrhea, Vomiting, Weakness,
Fever, Cough, and Pulmonary Edema
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Antidotes are available for
following chemicals
Arsines-British Anti Lewisite,
Dimercaptopropanol
 Cyanides-Sodium thiosulphate,dicobolt
editate,Hydroxocobalamin,NaNa2
 Sarin- Atropin & Pralidoxim
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First Aid
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Remove the patient away from further exposure.
Important measure is to rapidly & thoroughly
decontaminate the patient
Clothes are removed
Body must wash body with soap thoroughly
In severe exposure ,hair must be shaved off
Eyes are rinsed with water or a Normal Saline
for at least 5min:
Do not give mouth to mouth respiration
THANK YOU