Chemical warfare future

Kientz Ch.E. Cliromatography and mass spectrometry of chemical warfare agents, toxins and related compounds state of the art and future prospects // J.Cliromatogr. A. 814 (1998) 1. 

Matousek, J. "On New Potential Supertoxic Lethal Organophosphorous Chemical Warfare Agents with Intermediary Volatility." In Proceedings of the CB Medical Treatment Symposium an Exploration of Present Capabilities and Future Requirements for Chemical and Biological Medical Treatment. Edgewood, MD Battelle Memorial Institute, 1994, pp. 5.3-5.5. 

Matousek J. Protective properties of standard combat clothing against skin penetration of supertoxic lethal chemical warfare agents. In Sohns T., Voicu V. A. (Eds.) NBC Risks Current Capabilities and Future Perspectives for Protection. Kluwe Academic Publishers, Dordrecht - Boston - London, 1999, pp 303-310. 

Today the reality is that chemical warfare research with military volunteers is essentially non-existent (except for some neuroprotection and treatment studies) and seems unlikely to be approved in the foreseeable future. Even in the civilian community, research involving the administration of chemicals of any kind, including therapeutic drugs, to human subjects has become difficult and must satisfy an increasingly long list of criteria. 

Still, there was one clear frame leaping out at Fitz now he d run through the reels again he could picture their opponents uniforms clearly - sort of padded and plated chemical warfare suits, done up to the neck, latticed with silver harnesses - and he d seen the big soldier punch a button on that belt of his, the one that formed a broad equator to that harness. Anachronisms soldiers from the future. So it made a kind of sense, didn t it, if the big guy felt things were desperate - and let s face it, he was on fire and wrestling with the Doctor - he d make a run for home. And if Fitz felt smart for thinking that one out, then he was bloody proud of himself for remembering that the other soldier - the one flat out on a stretcher in the jeep behind - wore an identical harness. 

Somewhat surprisingly, following the end of the First World War, the Allied governments almost immediately seemed to forget what they had learned during the war about being prepared for future chemical warfare. The first major concerns for the chemical warfare detachments of the Allied forces then were to ensure they survived demobilisation. In both Britain and the United States cases were presented for the need for a permanent chemical warfare research establishment. In 1920 A.A. Fries proclaimed ... 

In a sense, then, the Iran-Iraq War reintroduced chemical warfare on a large scale shattering any belief that the use of such weapons had been successfully contained by international agreements. By deploying mustard gas and tabun the Iraqis broke a taboo and therefore made it easier for future combatants to find justification for chemical warfare. Nevertheless, despite Iraq s use of chemical weapons the war failed to reach a military conclusion and in August 1988, Iraq finally accepted a United Nations ceasefire plan and the war ended with little gained from the original objectives. 

Certainly, some states in unstable regions of the world remain interested in chemical weapons. While they are probably not the most effective battlefield weapons, chemical weapons can instil terror in entire populations and compel governments to strike pre-emptively against chemical weapons production and storage sites. The presumption of a chemical warfare capability in an adversary state can magnify an existing condition of crisis instability. The CWC offered the prospect that in the not too distant future an entire class of unconventional weaponry would be eliminated. 

Chemical Warfare Past and Future, Chemical Warfare, 5(1) (1920). 

The history of chemical warfare is important so we can learn lessons for the future. Dr Coleman has provided a well-referenced account of the history. Readers should form their own judgements on the threat chemical weapons pose - whether they really are weapons of mass destruction, their attractiveness to terrorists and the strengths and weaknesses of the Chemical Weapons Convention. 

The development of sophisticated analytical instruments, mainly based on mass spectrometry, enabled several analyses for bioanalysis of chemical warfare agents. Tox-icokinetic studies at relevant levels (down to 10 pg/ml blood) can now be performed. Exposures to CWAs can be verified up to several weeks after exposure, because of the persistence of the biomarkers but also thanks to the sensitive and selective instrumentation. It is anticipated that future equipment will be even more sensitive, enabling exposures that occurred weeks after the event to be tracked down. 

The three outstanding developments of the World War were the military airplane, the combat tank, and chemical warfare. Each of these new instruments of war made its appearance on the battlefield at about die same time, each exerted an important influence in shaping the character of modern combat, and each is destined to play an even greater role ill future warfare. 

The purposes of this book are threefold (1) to trace the development of the art and science of chemical warfare from its beginning in the World War to the present time (2) to present an American TOwpoint on chemical warfare and (3) to make available to the public an authentic text on a much misrepresented and misunderstood subject of great importance to our future national security. 

---