Chemical-biological hazard spectrum

PROPERTIES OF CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS AND THE CHEMICAL-BIOLOGICAL HAZARD SPECTRUM... 

One of the major issues in national security is the detection of potentially hazardous materials before they do harm to people or property. Thus, the sensing of chemical, biological, and nuclear agents quickly, specifically, and at a distance is of primary importance. Currently available detectors based on semiconductors have a wide range of applicability high-energy and low-energy ends of the spectrum are especially important. 

Today the chemical industry is involved in a broad spectrum of manufacturing processes tliat range from biological preparations to plastics and e.vplosives. Altliough the basic plans and designs for tliese processes may be similar, each individmil plant will have its own unique set of potential hazards. 

Although chemical and biological agents have traditionally been separated, it is appropriate medically to regard them as part of a continuous spectrum of hazards (Baker, 1993). This is shown diagrammatically in Figure 2. 

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