Nitrogen mustard , described

Ethyl Diethanolamine, US Military Requirements and Tests, as described in Specification MIL-E-10660B (CmlC), 27 Apr 1959- Accdg to Notice 1, 3 Feb 1972, theraaterial covered by the spec was used in the production of Nitrogen Mustard, HN—1, which is obsolete. Nevertheless, it. is of interest to describe this Spec REQUIREMENTS AND TESTS ... 

Toxic effects of sulfur mustard and ethyleneimine on animals were described in the 19th century. The powerful vesicant action of sulfur mustard led to its u.se in World War I. and medical examination of the victims revealed that tissues were damaged at sites distant from the area of contact." Such systemic elTects included leukopenia, bone marrow aplasia, lymphoid tissue suppression, and ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract. Sulfur mustard was shown to be active against animal tumors, but it was too nonspecific for clinical use. A variety of nitrogen mustards were synthesized between the two world wars. Some of these compounds (e.g.. 

The animal toxicity reported for HN-3 is described in Table 1. Evidence shows it causes leukemia and cancers of the lungs, liver, uterus, and large intestine in animals. Nitrogen mustards also produce developmental effects in animals. 

As described below, urinary metabolites have been identified for vesicants, nerve agents, 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate (BZ), hydrogen cyanide and the RCAs, CS, CR and capsaicin. Protein adducts have been identified for vesicants, nerve agents and phosgene, and DNA adducts for sulphur and nitrogen mustards. With the rapid advances being made in proteomics and metabo-nomics, new biological markers of exposure will undoubtedly be identified in the near future. 

There are two types of mustard sulfur mustard and nitrogen mustard. An impure sulfur mustard was probably synthesized by Despretz in 1822, but it was not identified. Riche, in 1854, and Guthrie, several years later, repeated Despretz s reaction to obtain the same product. Guthrie described the product as smelling like mustard, tasting like garlic, and causing blisters after contact with the skin. Niemann, in 1860, also synthesized the compound. 

Pure vesicants have little or no odor. However impurities can give them an easily detectable and identifiable smell. The odor of sulfur vesicants has been described as similar to garlic, horseradish, onions, or mustard. The odor of nitrogen vesicants has been described as fishy, fruity, musty, or even soap-like. 

Wils et al. (25,26) previously reported an entirely different approach to TDG analysis. TDG in urine was converted back to sulfur mustard by treatment with concentrated HC1. The sample treatment is less straightforward than the methods described above, but analysis as sulfur mustard is facile. Urine, plus 2H8-TDG as internal standard, was cleaned up by elution through two C18 cartridges. Concentrated HC1 was added and the sample stirred and heated at 120 °C. Nitrogen was blown over the solution and sulfur mustard isolated from the headspace by adsorption onto Tenax-TA. The method was used to detect TDG in urine from casualties of CW attacks (see below). A disadvantage of this method is that it may convert metabolites other than TDG to sulfur mustard. This is supported by the detection of relatively high levels of analytes in urine from control subjects. Vycudilik (27) used a similar procedure, but recovered the mustard by steam distillation and extraction. 

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