Chemical warfare agents conventions

This chapter includes four indices the Alphabetical index, the Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) numbers index, the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) numbers index, and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons key (OPCW) numbers index. OPCW numbers are found in the "Handbook on Chemicals, version 2002," Appendix 2 in Declaration Handbook 2002 for the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling, and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction. OPCW numbers were developed to provide an easy method for tracking chemical warfare agents and precursors if CAS numbers were not available. 

Keywords biomarkers biomedical sampling chemical warfare agents chemical weapons convention invstigation of alleged use terrorism... 

Between 1989 and 1993, the Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (VERIFTN) initiated four international interlaboratory comparison (round-robin) tests for the verification of chemical disarmament (2) to test the effectiveness of their procedures for the recovery of treaty-related chemicals (Chemical Warfare agents... 

Capillary Electrophoresis Chemical Warfare Agents Chemical Weapons Convention Deuterated L-Alanine Triglycine Sulfate Dimethyl Ethylphosphonate Dimethyl Isopropylphosphonate Dimethyl Methylphosphonate Dimethyl Propylphosphonate Dimercaptotoluene Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Functional Group Chromatograms Flame-Ionization Detector Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy Gas Chromatography Gas Chromatography/Chemical Ionization/Mass Spectrometry Gas Chromatography/Chemical Ionization/Tandem Mass Spectrometry... 

More recently, microemulsions have been developed for the oxidative/hydrolytic destruction of sulfanes sulfoxides) and phosphoric acid derivatives using sodium hypochlorite and cetyl-trimethylammonium chloride (CTAC). The compounds studied serve as model compounds for chemical warfare agents such as mustard gas [bis(2-chloroethyl)sulfane] and sarin (GB i-propyl-methylphosphonofluoridate). Big stocks of these must now be destroyed after implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which came into force in April 1997 [865],... 

For the development of new chemical weapons (CWs), a number of criteria are necessary a research base including scientists and equipment, access to information, chemical and arms industries, and of course financial support. It is noteworthy that the development of CWs is possible not only for states but also for terrorists. It is necessary to stress that the intention of this chapter is not to describe new CWs or chemical warfare agents (CWAs) but to comment on a number of trends in toxicology with the aim that these chemicals may be proposed for inclusion in the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) verification mechanisms. However, the text of the CWC is comprehensive and covers practically all chemicals that may be misused as CWs. 

Perfluoroisobutylene or perfluoroisobutene (PFIB) is the monomer used in synthesis of Teflon . It has possible use as chemical warfare agent, that is, it is a schedule 2A substance under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). 

Weapons Convention forbidding the development, production, stockpiling and the use of chemical warfare agents, the world has seen a rapid proliferation of such agents. They pose potential neurotoxic threat to both military and civilian populations as evidenced in recent terroristic attacks (5) as well as occupational hazard to individuals exposed to organophosphorus insecticides (OPI). 

The Chemical Weapons Convention, whereby nations eschewed programs of development of chemical warfare agents by international treaty, entered into force in 1997 (OPCW, 2005). Unfortunately, such treaties cannot eliminate development and use of CWAs by a rogue nation or a terrorist organization. 

NMFA (1982-1983). Verification of a Chemical Weapons Convention Sampling and Analysis of Chemical Warfare Agents under Winter Conditions, Parts 1 and 2. Oslo, Norway Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

The majority of substances listed on Schedule 1 of the Chemical Weapons Convention are considered to be percutaneous hazards (OPCW, 1993). In particular, sulphur mustard (HD) and VX are the most extensively studied agents of this genre and are representative of chemical warfare agents that exhibit mainly local or systemic percutaneous toxicity, respectively (Table 1). 

Table 2. Summary of factors influencing the skin absorption of chemical warfare agents based on Fick s laws of diffusion. The dimensions of each parameter are expressed in terms of those conventionally used for skin absorption kinetics...

As this book is focused on chemical warfare agents, it is necessary to consider the implementation of the prohibitions enshrined in the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). 

Figure 17.9 A non-conventional application of neutron activation. When it is necessary to destroy a warhead containing chemical warfare agents as mustard gas, NAA is used to identify the contents non-destructively. This diagram, reproduced courtesy of Ametek Inc./ORTEC, illustrates the method. Right, part of the y-spectrum of bis(2-chloroethyl)sulfide, that shows the S, H and Cl signals.

The term chemical warfare agents ideally would comprise all toxic chemicals that have been developed, produced, or used in a military context with the intention of utilizing its toxicity to man, animals or plants as its primary weapons characteristic. This definition excludes a considerable number of toxic chemicals used in a military environment, which serve other purposes a case in point is rocket fuel, which is highly toxic, but whose primary purpose is the propulsion of a missile. On the other hand, this definition goes beyond that used in the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) according to the CWC s Article II, para. 2 only those chemicals which through its chemical action on life processes can cause death, temporary incapacitation or permanent harm to humans or animals (emphasis added)1 count as chemical warfare agents. 

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