Chemical Agents
Type/ Agent
Characteristics
Effects
 Fast acting, highly poisonous material.
 Fatal if inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through
the skin.
 Extremely hazardous liquid and vapor under
pressure.
 Prevents the utilization of oxygen by the cells.
 The toxic hazard is high for inhalation, ingestion,
and skin and eye exposure, but primarily an
inhalation hazard due to its high volatility.
 Non-persistent, colorless
liquid that is highly volatile.
 AC has a faint odor similar
to bitter almonds that
sometimes cannot be
detected even at lethal
concentrations.
 AC poisoning causes a deceptively healthy pink to red skin color.
 Human health effects of overexposure by inhalation, ingestion, or skin
contact may include nonspecific symptoms such as :
o reddening of the eyes,
o flushing of the skin,
o nausea, headaches, dizziness, rapid respiration,
o vomiting, drowsiness,
o drop in blood pressure, rapid pulse,
o weakness, and loss of consciousness;
o Higher AC inhalation exposures may lead to fatality.
Blister Agents
Mustard
H, HD
Lewisite – L
 Produce toxic action on the blood-forming tissues.
 Detoxification of H and HD in the body is very
slow.
 Repeated exposures produce a cumulative effect.
 Toxic hazard is high for inhalation, ingestion, and
skin and eye absorption
 The most common acute hazard is from liquid
contact with eyes or skin.
 Mustard agent liquid is
colorless when pure.
 Normally a yellow to brown
oily substance.
 Mustard agent vapor is
colorless with a slight
garlic- or mustard-like odor.
 Very Persistent (hours to
days)
Choking Agents
Phosgene – CG
Chlorine - CL
 Normally a chemical agent with a short duration,
 Used extensively in World War I.
 More than 80 percent of World War I chemical
agent fatalities were caused by CG.
 CL is a Toxic Industrial Compound Used in many
industries.
 Severe eye, mucous
membrane, and skin irritant.
 Highly toxic by inhalation.
 Primarily a toxic hazard by
inhalation exposure.
 Fog like in its initial
concentration but becomes
colorless as it disperses.
 CG has an odor of newly
mown hay.
 CL smells like bleach.
 Non-persistent
 The physiological action of Blister Agents may be classified as local
and systemic.
 The local action results in:
o inflammation of the eyes,
o redness of the skin which may be followed by blistering or
ulceration;
o inflammation of the nose, throat, trachea, bronchi, and lung
tissue.
 Injuries produced by Blister Agents heal much more slowly and are
more susceptible to infection than burns of similar intensity produced by
physical means or by most other chemicals.
 Systemic effects of mustard may include malaise, vomiting, and fever,
with onset time about the same as that of the skin reddening.
 Corrosive, highly toxic gas,
 Results in fluid buildup in the lungs (“dryland drowning”).
 Affects the upper respiratory tract, skin, and eyes and causes severe
respiratory damage as well as burns to the skin and eyes.
 Acute inhalation may cause respiratory and circulatory failure with
symptoms of chills, dizziness, thirst, burning of eyes, cough, viscous
sputum, shortness of breath, feeling of suffocation, burning in throat,
vomiting, pain in chest, and cyanosis.
 Severe mucous membrane irritant.
 Chronic inhalation may cause irreversible pulmonary changes resulting
in emphysema and fibrosis.
 Acute skin contact may result in lesions similar to those of frostbite and
burns; it is a severe skin irritant.
 Chronic skin contact may result in dermatitis.
 Acute eye contact may result in inflammation of the eyes, lesions
similar to those of frostbite, and burns.
Blood Agent
Hydrogen
cyanide - AC
Cyanogen
chloride - CK
General Information
Source: U. S. ARMY CENTER FOR HEALTH PROMOTION & PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
http://chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/dts/glchemfs.htm
Chemical Agents
Type/ Agent
General Information
Characteristics
Effects
Nerve Agent
GA - TABUN
GB – SARIN
GD - SOMAN
 Considered to be non-persistent chemical agents
 May present a significant vapor hazard to the
respiratory tract, eyes, or skin.
 Affect the body by blocking the action of the
enzyme acetylcholinesterase. When this enzyme
is blocked, large amounts of the chemical
acetycholine build up at critical places within
the nervous system, causing hyperactivity of the
muscles and body organs stimulated by these
nerves.
 The signs and symptoms of exposure to G-type
nerve agents depend upon the route of exposure
and the amount of exposure.
 G-type nerve agents are clear,
colorless, and tasteless liquids,
chemically similar to
organophosphate pesticides
such as Malathion or Parathion.
 GA has a slightly fruity odor.
 GB is odorless in vapor and
pure form
 GD has a slight camphor odor.
 Non-persistent (minutes to
hours)
 Signs and symptoms are the same regardless of route the poison enters
the body (by inhalation, absorption, or ingestion):
o runny nose;
o tightness of chest;
o dimness of vision and miosis (pinpointing of the pupils)
o difficulty in breathing;
o drooling and excessive sweating;
o nausea; vomiting; cramps, and involuntary defecation
and urination;
o twitching, jerking, and staggering;
o headache, confusion, drowsiness, coma, and
convulsion.
 These signs and symptoms are followed by cessation of breathing and
death.
Nerve Agent
VX
 Persistent, nonvolatile agent
 Primarily a liquid exposure hazard to the skin or
eyes, although small amounts of VX vapor may
be generated under extremely high
temperatures.
 VX affects the body by blocking the action of
the enzyme acetycholinesterase. When this
enzyme is blocked, large amounts of the
chemical acetylcholine build up at critical places
within the nervous system, causing
hyperactivity of the body organs stimulated by
these nerves.
 The signs and symptoms of exposure to Nerve
agent VX depend upon the route of exposure
and the amount of exposure.
 VX is a lethal agent.
 Its toxic hazard is high for inhalation, ingestion,
and eye and skin exposure, but due to its low
volatility, the primary route of exposure is
through ingestion or skin contact.
 Its rate of detoxification in the body is low.
 Pure VX is an oily liquid that is
clear, odorless, and tasteless.
 It is usually amber colored,
similar in appearance to motor
oil.
 Very persistent (hours to days)
 Signs and symptoms of overexposure may occur within minutes or
hours depending upon dose. They include:
o miosis (constriction of pupils) and visual effects,
o headache and pressure sensation,
o runny nose and nasal congestion,
o salivation,
o tightness in the chest,
o nausea, vomiting,
o giddiness, anxiety,
o difficulty in thinking,
o difficulty sleeping, nightmares,
o muscle twitches, tremors, weakness,
o abdominal cramps, diarrhea,
o involuntary urination and defecation.
 Signs of severe exposure can progress to convulsions and
respiratory failure.
Source: U. S. ARMY CENTER FOR HEALTH PROMOTION & PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
http://chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/dts/glchemfs.htm
Biological Agents
Disease/
Agent
Incubation
Period
Brucellosis
(bacteria)
5-60 days
(usually 1-2
months)
Inhalational
(pneumonic)
tularemia
(bacteria)
3-5 days
(range of 121 days)









Pneumonic
plague
(bacteria)
1-10 days
(typically 23 days)


Q-Fever
(rickettsia)
2-14 days
(may be up
to 40 days)




Clinical Syndrome
Lethality
Treatment
Nonspecific "flu-like" symptoms,
Fever, headache,
Profound weakness and fatigue,
Gastrointestinal symptoms such as:
o anorexia,
o nausea, vomiting,
o diarrhea or constipation.
Sudden onset of acute febrile illness,
weakness, chills, headache,
generalized body aches.
Pulmonary symptoms such as dry cough,
chest pain or tightness with or without
objective signs of pneumonia.
Progressive weakness, malaise, anorexia,
and weight loss occurs,
potentially leading to sepsis and organ
failure.
Acute onset of "flu-like" prodrome:
o Fever, myalgia, weakness,
headache.
Within 24 hours of prodrome:
o Chest discomfort, cough, and
dyspnea appear.
o By day 2-4 of illness, symptoms
progress to cyanosis, respiratory
distress and hemodynamic
instability.
Nonspecific febrile disease,
chills, cough, weakness and fatigue,
pleuritic chest pain,
pneumonia may be present.
 Less than 5% even if
untreated.
 Tends to
incapacitate rather
than kill.
 Not contagious.
 Doxycycline plus streptomycin
or rifampin.
 Alternative therapies:
 ofloxacin plus rifampin;
 doxycycline plus gentamicin;
 TMP/SMX plus gentamicin.
None. Only animal vaccine
exists.
 About 30%-60% if
untreated
 Not contagious.
 Streptomycin; gentamicin.
 An alternative is ciprofloxacin.
Live attenuated vaccine
(USAMRIID, investigational)
given by scarification;
currently under review by
FDA, limited availability.
 Streptomycin; gentamicin.
 Other alternatives include:
o doxycycline,
o tetracycline,
o ciprofloxacin, and
o chloramphenicol.
Inactivated whole cell vaccine
licensed but not readily
available.
Source: American Medical Association
 Almost 100% if
untreated.
 20%-60% if
appropriately treated
within 18-24 hours
of symptoms.
 Highly Contagious.
 1%-3%
 Fatalities are
uncommon even if
untreated, but
relapsing symptoms
may occur.
 Not contagious.
Vaccine
Injection with boosters.
Vaccine not protective against
aerosol in animals.
 Tetracycline;
 doxycycline
Inactivated whole-cell vaccine
(investigational).
Skin test to determine prior
exposure to C. burnetii
recommended before
vaccination.
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/6206.html
Biological Agents
Disease/
Agent
Incubation
Period
Smallpox
(virus)
Equine
Encephalitis:
Venezuelan
(VEE);
Eastern (EEE);
Western
(WEE)
(virus)
Hemorrhagic
Fevers
(VHFs):
(Lassa, Hanta,
CongoCrimean,
Rift Valley;
Ebola,
Marburg;
Yellow Fever,
Dengue)
(viruses)
Clinical Syndrome
Lethality
Treatment
7-17 days
 Prodrome of high fever, malaise,
prostration, headache, vomiting, delirium
 Followed in 2-3 days by maculopapular
rash uniformly progressing to pustules and
scabs, mostly on extremities and face.
 Requires astute clinical evaluation; may be
confused with chickenpox, erythema
multiforme with bullae, or allergic contact
dermatitis.
 30% in unvaccinated
persons
 Highly contagious
 Supportive care;
 cidofovir has been effective in
vitro, and in experimental
animals infected with surrogate
orthopox virus.
Attenuated-strain vaccinia
vaccine derived from calf
lymph; given by scarification
(licensed, limited supply).
Vaccination may be effective
within 3-4 days of exposure.
VEE: 2-6
days
 Systemic febrile illness, with encephalitis
developing in some populations.
 Generalized malaise,
 spiking fevers, headache, myalgia.
 Incidence of seizures and/or focal
neurologic deficits may be higher after
biological attack.




 Supportive care;
 analgesics,
 anticonvulsants as needed
Several IND vaccines, poorly
immunogenic, highly
reactogenic.
EEE, WEE:
7-14 days
4-21 days
 Fever with mucous membrane bleeding,
 petechiae,
 thrombocytopenia and hypotension in
patients w/o underlying malignancies.
 Malaise, myalgias, headache, vomiting,
diarrhea may occur.
Source: American Medical Association
VEE: less than 10%
EEE: 50-75%
WEE:10%
Mildly contagious
 Variable depending
on viral strain
 15% to 25% with
Lassa fever
 As high as 90% with
Ebola
 All are Moderately
Contagious
 Supportive therapy.
 Ribavirin may be effective for:
o Lassa fever,
o Argentine hemorrhagic fever,
o Congo-Crimean hemorrhagic
fever.
Vaccine
Yellow fever vaccine is the
only licensed vaccine
available.
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/6206.html
Biological Toxins
Toxin/Agent
Botulinum
toxin
Incubation
Period
1-5 days
(typically
12-36 hours)
Ricin toxin
18-24 hours
(acute
symptoms
may appear
as early as
4-8 hours
following
exposure)
Enterotoxin B
3-12 hours
T-2
mycotoxins:
and
other
filamentous
fungi
Minutes to
hours
Clinical Syndrome





Blurred vision,
diploplia,
dry mouth,
ptosis, fatigue.
As disease progresses, acute bilateral
descending flaccid paralysis,
 respiratory paralysis resulting in death.







Weakness,
chest tightness,
fever,
cough, pulmonary edema,
respiratory failure,
circulatory collapse,
hypoxemia resulting in death (usually
within 36-72 hours).
 Acute onset of fever, chills headache,
 nonproductive cough.
 Normal chest x-ray.
 Abrupt onset of mucocutaneous and airway
irritation and pain
 may include skin, eyes, and gastrointestinal
tract;
 systemic toxicity may follow.
Source: American Medical Association
Lethality
 60% without
ventilatory support
 Mortality data not
available but
potential for death is
likely to be high
with extensive
exposure.
 Probably low (little
data available for
respiratory
exposure).
 Severe exposure can
cause death in hours
to days.
Treatment
Vaccine
 Supportive care - ventilation
may be necessary.
 Trivalent equine antitoxin
(serotypes A,B,E - licensed,
available from the CDC) should
be administered immediately
following diagnosis.
 Anaphylaxis and serum
sickness are potential
complications from antitoxin.
 Aminoglycosides and
clindamycin must not be used.
 Supportive care.
 Treatment for pulmonary
edema.
 Gastric decontamination if
toxin is ingested.
Pentavalent toxoid (A-E),
yearly booster (investigational,
CDC)
Not available to the public
No vaccine available
 Supportive care.
No vaccine available
 Clinical support.
 Soap and water washing within
4-6 hours reduces dermal
toxicity;
 washing within 1 hour may
eliminate toxicity entirely.
 No effective medications or
antidotes.
No vaccine available
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/6206.html
Nuclear/Radiological
Matter is composed of atoms, some of them unstable. As these unstable atoms
change to become more stable, they give off invisible energy waves or particles
called radiation. There are different types of radiation, some more energetic than
others. One type of radiation, non-ionizing radiation, has enough energy to move
atoms but not enough to alter them chemically. .
Non-ionizing radiation is the energy in the light you see and the heat you feel. The
music you hear on your radio and the voices you hear on your cell phone comes
from the non-ionizing energy of radio waves. Even your microwave oven uses nonionizing energy waves to cook your food.
Ionizing radiation is energy that is released from decaying atoms. The ionizing
energy that is released during decay takes the form of particles or waves. These
radioactive particles and waves are named from the greek alphabet: alpha, beta,
and gamma. Ionizing radiation changes the physical state of the atoms that it
strikes. This causes them to become electrically charged or “ionized.” In some
circumstances, the presence of these ions can affect humans and other living
creatures.



Alpha radiation is made of heavy, positively charged particles.
Because alpha particles are big by atomic standards, they can be
stopped by the outer layer of human skin or an ordinary sheet of
paper.
Beta radiation is made of electrons. Because beta particles are much
smaller than alpha particles, they are more penetrating. Beta particles
can pass through one to two centimeters of water or into human skin.
But beta radiation can be stopped by a sheet of aluminum that’s just a
few millimeters thick.
Two kinds of nuclear reaction may be used to release energy on a large scale:

Fission is the splitting of heavy atomic nuclei into pairs of lighter
nuclei.

Fusion is the marriage of two light nuclei to form the nucleus of a
heavier atom.
Both of these methods are used in Nuclear Weapons.
The other possible use of radiological material is in a Radiation Dispersal Device
(RDD) or “Dirty Bomb”. A RDD is when radiological material is dispersed, either
by a mechanical method or via conventional explosives, to contaminate and expose
people and things.
Units of Measure
SYSTEM
INTERNATIONAL
QUANTITIES
CONVENTIONAL
ACTIVITY
Curie (Ci)
2.7E-11Ci=1Bq
3.7xE10dps
Becquerel (Bq)
1 dps
EXPOSURE
Roentgen (R)
None
ABSORBED
DOSE
Rad
Gray (Gy)
1 Gy = 100 Rad
DOSE
EQUIVALENT
Rem
Sievert (Sv)
1 Sv = 100 Rem
Gamma as well as x-rays are also types of ionizing radiation. Unlike
alpha and beta, gamma and x-rays are merely waves of energy that are
released when an atom decays. Gamma and x-rays can pass right
through the body, but they are almost completely absorbed by lead or
concrete.
Although alpha radiation can be stopped by human skin, materials that emit alpha
radiation can enter the body through air, food, and water. Once inside the body,
alpha as well as beta, gamma and x-ray radiation can affect internal tissues.
Source:
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
BWXT Pantex
http://www.epa.gov/radiation/rrpage/rrpage1.html
http://www.pantex.com/education/index.htm
Sample Isotopes
Isotope
(Element)
Use
Radiotherapy, radiography,
moisture gauges, density
gauges, food irradiation
Co-60
Radiotherapy, radiography,
(Cobalt)
moisture gauges, density
gauges, food irradiation
Am-241
Smoke detector, chemical
(Americium) detectors

Radiotherapy seed implants
U-235
(Uranium)
Fission weapons, initiator for
fusion weapons, nuclear
reactor fuel


Cs-137
(Cesium)
Ir-192
(Iridium)


30.07 years


1925.1 days
432.2 years


Half Life

73.827 days
703,800,000
years
Radioactive
Source
Source:
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
BWXT Pantex
http://www.epa.gov/radiation/rrpage/rrpage1.html
http://www.pantex.com/education/index.htm
Explosives
Bombs can be constructed to look like almost anything and can be placed or delivered in any number of ways. The probability of finding a explosive device that looks like
the stereotypical bomb is almost nonexistent. The only common denominator that exists among bombs is that they are designed or intended to explode or burn. Most
explosive devices are homemade and are limited in their design only by the imagination of, and resources available to, the bomber. The dangers from explosive or
incendiary devices are both from the immediate impact and the possibility of a Secondary Device – a second explosive device positioned and timed to injure or kill
responders.
Fragmentation can be the most destructive characteristic of a bomb made from explosive materials. The blast wave from an explosion can create craters and blow down
walls and buildings, but the concentrated power of a fragment can force penetration deeply into a target, tearing and shredding as it goes. Fragment velocities may range
from 500 to 1500 meters/sec.
The detonation of a bomb produces an explosion. Explosions fall into three categories:

A mechanical explosion is illustrated by the failure of a steam boiler or pressure cooker.

A chemical explosion is characterized by the rapid conversion of a solid or liquid explosive compound into a hot gaseous compound having a much greater volume
than the substances from which it is generated.

Nuclear explosions may be generated by fission or by fusion. In a fission reaction, a heavy atom (such as uranium) is split into two or more smaller atoms. In fusion,
two lighter elements are forced together, generating energy and becoming a heavier element (see above section).
Some of the more common types of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s) include:
Source:

Incendiary devices (cause fires)

Letter bombs (enclosed within an envelop or small package)

Pipe bombs (pipe filled with black powder or other explosive)

Briefcase bombs (may contain various types of explosive material)

Car and truck bombs (conventional explosives like dynamite, plastic explosives or improvised such as Fertilizer bombs)
U. S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
http://www.atf.treas.gov/