Chemical, Radiological and
Nuclear Weapons
Session 8 Pre-recorded
YSU – Weapons of Mass
Destruction Course
This Session
• Chemical Weapons
– Action on the Body
– Comparison of Chemical Properties
– Method of Treatment
• Radioactivity
– What is it?
– Types of radiation
This Session
• Radiological Dispersion Devices
– How explosives work
– Why radiological devices are a problem
• Nuclear Weapons
– How they work
– Practicality
Keep In Mind
• Chemical Differences in Agent
– In standard conditions
• The Difficulty in Dissemination
• How They Affect People
• The Purpose of the Agent
Dissemination
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Aerosolized
Pressurized Cylinder
Heavy Spray
Liquid Evaporative
Surfaces and Foods
Group Name - Vesicants
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Mustard (H)
Lewisite (L)
Dichloroarsine (PD)
Nitrogen Mustards (HN)
Latin vesica meaning bladder or vessel that holds liquid.
S, As and N-based blister agents.
Military classes C07, 08 and 09
Mustard
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C4-H8-C12-S
M.W. 159.08
Colorless to Yellow Oily Liquid
Garlic Odor
BP – 215C MP – 13C
High lipid solubility/low water .68mg/L
Vapor Density = 5.4
Vapor Pressure = 0.11 mm Hg
Action on The Body
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Some have chemotheraputic use
Damage DNA (similar to radiation)
Prevent cell division
Edema of lungs, skin blisters
Pain and swelling of mucosa
1-12 hrs for effect preceded by red skin
Death from asphyxiation??
Vesicants – Typical Treatment
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Remove clothes – light bleach decon
Arsenicals will decon in water
Pain Management
Intubation may be required
No antidotes except British anti-Lewisite
Group Name – Nerve Agents
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Soman (GD)
Tabun (GA)
Sarin (GB)
VX
VX2
Similar to Nitrogen-Phosphorous
Pesticides
Military agents C-01, 02, 03, 04, 05 and 06
VX
• Less than 1 drop of VX will cause death
• Persistent in soil for 2-6 days
VX
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C11-H26-N-O2-P-S
MW – 267.37
Odorless/Colorless to straw color
BP – 298C MP – -51C
• High lipid solubility/soluble in cool water 30 g/L
• Vapor Density = 9.2
• Vapor Pressure = 0.0007 mm Hg
Nerve Agents – Action on the Body
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Inhibition of cholinesterase
Pinpoint pupils
Profuse runny nose, sweating, nausea
Urination/defecation
Convulsions progress to paralysis
Vapors may cause chest discomforts
Pulmonary edema
Cessation of breathing from edema or
exhaustion/CA
Nerve Agents – Typical Treatment
• Atropine and 2 PAM Chloride may aid in
airway restrictions and profuse fluids
• Diazepam anti-convulsant
• Remove clothing
• Decon with soap and water
• Decon with mild hypochlorite
Group Name - Asphyxiants
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Chloropicrin
Chlorine
Diphosgene
Phosgene
Also called choking agents.
Military agents C14 and 15
Chlorine
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Cl2
MW – 70.906
Yellow Green-noxious odor gas
BP – -34.04C MP – -105C
Corrosive to plastics and rubber
Vapor Density = 2.5
Vapor Pressure = 5830 mm Hg
Asphyxiants – Action on the Body
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Displacement of oxygen
At 1-3 ppm mild irritation of lungs
At 30 ppm chest pain, cough, dyspnea
At 40 ppm pneumonitis, edema
At 430 ppm lethal over 30 minutes
At 1000 ppm lethal in a few minutes
Asphyxiants – Typical Treatment
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ABCs (Airway, breathing, circulation)
Oxygen therapy
Halogens may produce chemical burns
Flush skin with cool water
Bandages may stick to skin
Decon with water if necessary but most
have high V.P.
Group Name – Blood Agents
• Arsine gas
• Cyanogen chloride
• Hydrogen cyanide
Military Classes C-12 and 13
May be Arsenic or Cyanide-based
Hydrogen Cyanide
• C-H-N
• MW – 27.03
• Sweet to bitter almond-like. May be
colorless to lt. blue liquid, gas above 78F
• BP – 25C MP – -13.4C
• Solubility 1,000,000 mg/L
• Vapor Density = 0.94
• Vapor Pressure = 742 mm Hg
Blood Agents – Action on the Body
• Inhibit the binding of oxygen or CO2/O2
exchange
• Palpitation cyanosis, dyspnea
• Low doses may produce symptoms over
an hour
• Anxiety, confusion, vertigo, numbness,
salivation, rapid, then slow irregular
respiration, vomiting, giddiness
• BP rise, HR lower, Pink Skin (in some)
Blood Agents – Typical Treatment
• If arsenical agent a light vinegar solution
may be used for decon otherwise water
(but many have high V.P.)
• Remove from scene + O2 therapy
• Blood transfusion may be necessary
Group Name - Urticants
• Agent CX
• Phosgene Oxime
• T-2 Mycotoxin
Military class C-11
T-2 toxin is also classified as C-23 dermal biotoxin
From Latin urtica which is a stinging nettle plant.
Latin urticare means itching or stinging.
Trichothecene (T-2)
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C24-H34-O9
MW – 466.53
MP – 150C
White crystalline solid
Solubility - most common solvent
Urticants – Action on Body
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Airborne – pulmonary hemorrhage
Ingest – hempoietic difficulties
DNA damage, protein synthesis inhibitor
Extreme itching to excruciating dermal
pain
• Ocular pain, gastrointestinal bleeding
• Hypotension
Urticants – Typical Treatment
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Remove clothing
Irrigate eyes and skin with water
Decon with soap and water
Move to fresh air
Inhaled bronchiodialator
Dopamine or norepi for hypotension
Platelets or plasma may be necessary
Group Name - RCAs
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Bromobenzylcyanide
Chloroacetophenone
Pepper Spray
Agent OC
Military classes C-17, 18 and 19. Class C-16 are incapacitating
agents that may be RCAs as well
Chloroacetophenone
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C8-H7-Cl-O
MW – 154.6
Colorless to white crystalline solid
BP – 244C MP – 58C
Solubility: insol. in water – sol. in alcohol
Vapor Density = 5.32
Vapor Pressure = .0054 mm Hg
What is Radioactivity?
• Elements have atomic mass numbers
• Mass is the number (weight) of the protons
and neutrons in the nucleus
• Some elements can have different forms
– Uranium 233, 235, 238 all have 92 protons
Atom
Protons
+ Neutrons
= AM Number
92 Protons + 146 Neutrons = Uranium 238
Radioactivity
• Most elements are very stable
• Radioactive elements want to change
• They can lose parts of themselves
spontaneously. This is called decay.
– Alpha particles
– Beta particles
– Gamma rays
Decay Products
• Alpha Particle
– Helium 4 nucleus is given off
– High energy
– Cannot penetrate a sheet of paper
– Will travel up to 10 cm
– Can be carried into the air
– Ionizing
Decay Products
• Beta Particle
– High speed electron
– Ionizing
– Can penetrate human skin, wood,
clothes
– Emits x-rays as it slows
– Travels up to 9 meters
– Can cause skin burns
Decay Products
• Gamma Rays
– Very high energy
– Short wavelength
– Travels at speed of light
– Penetrates steel
– Not particles - photons
Concern with Radiation
Some radioactive elements have a
very long half-life. A half-life is the
amount of time it takes for the element
to become half as radioactive as it was
at the starting point. This can be days
to thousands of years depending on
the element.
Radiological Dispersion Device
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Dirty Bomb
Traditional explosive device core
Radioactive elemental inner shell
Intended to scatter debris and
particles
Waste nuclear material can come from chem labs, from old equipment,
RIA clinical procedures, nuclear medicine waste and power plant rods.
Health Effects
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Cell damage
Chromosomal changes
Free ions destroy tissue
Damage bone marrow and lymphatics
Immune changes
TIME
DISTANCE
SHIELDING
Standard Explosive Devices
• Exothermic Process
– Add NaOH to Water
– Burn Gasoline
• Endothermic Process
– Ice Melting
Explosive Process
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Chemicals are elements + bonds
Certain combinations store high energy
Trinitrotoluene, Ammonium picrate
Primary Explosive (detonator)
– Very sensitive to heat, shock, spark etc.
• Secondary Charge
– Packs punch
• Main Charge
Nuclear Reaction
• Fission Device
– If you can split the nucleus of a radioactive
element, you can release very high energy
– Weapons and powerplants
– Bombardment of neutrons
– When a nucleus is struck it gives off avg. of
2.4 neutrons.
– If atoms are not compact, the reaction will not
continue
Nuclear Reaction
• If the mass is more dense the fission can
become a chain reaction because the free
neutrons can strike more nuclei
• The amount of an element necessary to
carry on this chain is called critical mass.
• For a weapon, a supercritical mass is used
producing a devastating chain reaction
and an enormous exothermic reaction.
Our Fortune
• Nature only allows us to accomplish this
with a few radioactive materials.
• It is difficult to refine these elements into
weapons-grade material
• 100 pounds of element will probably yield
less than a few ounces of weapons-grade
element.
Up and Coming
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Special exercise Monday and Wednesday
Simulated incident
Mod. 3 papers due on March 1 at 11PM
Please turn in your short answer question
before 11:00 PM on Friday.