Nitrogen mustards blistering effects

Physiological Effects. The sulfur and nitrogen mustards act first as cell irritants and finally as a cell poison on all tissue surfaces contacted. The first symptoms usually appear in 4—6 h (4). The higher the concentration, the shorter the interval of time between the exposure to the agent and the first symptoms. Local action of the mustards results in conjunctivitis (inflammation of the eyes) erythema (redness of the skin), which may be followed by blistering or ulceration and an inflammatory reaction of the nose, throat, trachea, bronchi, and lung tissue. Injuries produced by mustard heal much more slowly and are much more Fable to infection than bums of similar intensity produced by physical means or by other chemicals. 

HN-2 has the greatest blistering power of the nitrogen mustards in vapor form but is intermediate as a liquid blistering agent. It produces toxic eye effects more rapidly than does HD. 

There may be no skin lesions following mild vapor exposures. However, severe vapor or liquid exposure to nitrogen mustard will produce effects similar to those of sulfur mustard (but the onset is sooner than with sulfur mustard). These effects include erythema, irritation, and itching, with blisters developing in the erythematous areas. 

HN-2 may appear as a dark liquid with a fruity odor at high concentrations and a soft soap odor at low concentrations. Its toxicity is somewhat higher than HN-1. HN-2 has the highest blistering power of all nitrogen mustards when in vapor form. Skin effects for this compound are delayed, and it is highly unstable. 

The eye-irritating effect and blistering effect are likely caused by HCl. This reaction is not very fast unlike that of phosgene, and hence there is usually a delay of a few days before its poisonous symptoms show up. The nastiness of mustard gas is due to its small size and relative chemical stabUity, and hence it can go into almost any place in your body and its effect lasts relatively long. Nitrogen mustard is supposed to work similarly. 

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