Lachrymatory agents, irritating and

Irritating and lachrymatory agents are primarily an eye-contact and inhalation hazard. Aerosols and vapors are irritating to the eyes and skin at low concentrations but are otherwise relatively nontoxic via these routes. However, exposure to bulk liquid or solid agents may be hazardous through skin absorption, ingestion, and introduction through abraded skin (e.g., breaks in the skin or penetration of skin by debris). 

Irritating and lachrymatory agents have excellent warning properties. In general, they produce eye, respiratory, and/or skin irritation at concentrations well below lethal levels. 

Exposure to irritating and lachrymatory agents produces immediate effects. 

As typically deployed, unmodified irritating and lachrymatory agents are classified as nonpersistent by the military However, bulk solid agents deployed for the purpose of area denial may persist for weeks or months. Depending on the size of the individual particles and on any encapsulation or coatings applied to the particles, they can be reaerosolized by ground traffic or strong winds. 

Many irritating and lachrymatory agents are nonvolatile and produce negligible amounts of vapor. Vapors of volatile agents have a density greater than air and tend to collect in low places. 

Irritating and lachrymatory agents are generally stable or very slowly decomposed by water. Further, solvents used to disperse these agents are generally insoluble in water and will help prevent interaction of the agent with water. However, should hydrolysis occur, decomposition products may include HCl, HCN, hydrogen bromide (HBr), and/or aromatic hydrocarbons, as well as complex condensation products. 

Irritating and lachrymatory agents are primarily an eye and respiratory hazard however, at elevated vapor/aerosol concentrations or in contact with bulk material, agents may also pose a dermal hazard. In addition, solvents used in agent formulations may also pose respiratory or contact hazards. 

Decontaminate the casualty ensuring that all the irritating and lachrymatory agents have been removed. For severe eye irritation, irrigate with water or 0.9% saline solution for a minimum of 15 minutes. Do not allow casualties to rub their eyes or skin as this may exacerbate agent effects. Irrigate open wounds with water or 0.9% saline solution for at least 10 minutes. 

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