Blister agents mustard

Chapter 1 Blister Agents MUSTARD - LEWISITE MIXTURE - HL... 

Williams, Kenneth E. Detailed Facts About Blister Agent Mustard-Lewisite Mixture (HL). Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD United States Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine,... 

The most widespread and most open use of chemical weapons on a battlefield in recent decades was by Iraq in its conflict with Iran. This time the evidence of chemical use was conclusive. Undetonated shells were sampled and their contents were analyzed by several laboratories in Europe. A vesicant or blister agent (mustard) and a nerve agent (tabun) were identified. About 100 Iranian soldiers with chemical wounds were sent to European hospitals for care their wounds were consistent with vesicant (mustard) injury. A team appointed by the U.N. secretariat went to Iranian battlefields and hospitals and found chemical shells and patients with chemical injuries. The public outcry at the use of these weapons was less than overwhelming. Ignoring protests from the world community, Iraq continued to use these agents. 

In any event, if you remember two representatives from each of these classes—the blister agents mustard and Lewisite, and the nerve agents sarin and VX— you will have in memory a reasonably clear list of the most likely chemical threats, both military and from possible use in terrorism. Other CW agents—an extensive list of them will follow shortly—are of course potential threats, as described below, but mustard. Lewisite, sarin, and VX—as well as we can tell right now—are the modern poisons of choice. 

Figure 13.6 Chemical structures of (a) nerve agent Sarin (GB) and (b) blister agent Mustard (HD).

An early stage involves creation of a technical base for destruction of old blister agents ( Mustard, Lewisite and Mustard -Lewisite mixtures), which are the most dangerous to store. 

Blister agents Mustard/garlic/horseradish Mustard hours Lewisite minutes Buming/itchy skin, sotc throat/painful eyes Erythema/blisters, haemoptysis/pulmonary oedema Contact with caustics, sodium hydroxide, and ammonia... 

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