Toxic ammunition

Toxic ammunition contains chemical agents which, through their adverse physiological effects, are in use by military or law enforcement organizations to kill, injure, or incapacitate humans. Less powerful agents are used by the public for self-defense. While the use of lethal chemical agents like mustard gas and nerve agents to kill or maim has been banned by the Chemical Weapons Convention (COTC), the use of toxic chemicals as suppressive methods to control or subdue crowds and riots is widespread. 

Tear gas agents include ethylbromoacetate, the first chemical police ordnance, used in Paris bromobenzylcyanide, the strongest lachrymator and 

Self-defense spray is sold in small aerosols and other devices for self-defense. The chemical agent employed is often capsaicin (404-86-4), the oleoresin extracted from cayenne peppers Capisicum annum), hence pepper spray. Aerosol products contain 10 to 15% capsaicin. It is an inflammatory which causes temporary blindness and restricted breathing for up to 45 minutes. Self-defense sprays may come as key rings, or be disguised as flashlights or fountain pens, and be used against wildlife in addition to human offenders. Mace is also used in some self-defense sprays. 

see Terminology, Gas, p.239 Grenades, see Ammunition, p.8 Irritating material, see Toxic Substances and Division 6.1, p.255 

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LaHOUD Blast-Containment Rooms for Toxic Ammunition Disposal... 

Larry Pratt, Executive Director of the Gun Owners of America, says there is simply no science to support the efforts to force rifle and handgun shooting into non-toxic ammunition, and certainly not In the military, a move which he says would be funny if it weren t so serious. Pratt believes the green ammo movement is simply a back door method of gun control. They can t outlaw guns so they re going to make the ammo as expensive and as hard to buy as possible. ... 

Hunters who might be required to use non-toxic ammunition for upland game hunting will find options are few in smaii shot. Stiii, the manufacturing industry can gear up quickly and the next few years should witness an explosion of shells in all gauges. (Photo Lee Karney, U.S. FWS)... 

Glynco alone trains 50,000 law enforcement officers annually, and students at the Firearms Division shoot approximately 20 million rounds of ammunition a year. For its training rounds, the center uses both lead and environmentally friendly or non-toxic ammunition. Reduced hazard ammo accounts for nearly three-quarters of expended rounds. 

No information regarding health effects of 1,3,5-TNB administered by any route is available in humans. Data presented in abstract form provided limited information on oral and dermal toxicity in animals (Desai et al. 1991). Therefore, studies addressing toxic effects of 1,3,5-TNB in animals after acute oral exposure (since this is the most likely route of exposure for human populations in the vicinity of ammunition plants) would provide needed information for estimation of possible 1,3,5-TNB toxicity in humans. Also needed are acute exposure studies of 1,3,5-TNB after inhalation and dermal exposures because exposure by these routes may occur in spite of the low volatility of these compounds. 

TNB after low-level chronic exposure by oral, dermal, and inhalation routes would be of value to determine whether exposures via these routes could cause toxicity in populations living in the vicinity of ammunition plants or in those exposed in industries where these chemical are used. 

ATSDR. 1987. Health assessment for Alabama Army Ammunition Plant, Talladega County, Alabama, region 4. Atlanta, GA Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. CERCLIS no. AL6210020008. 

The toxic effects of lead on animals other than humans and on plants have been less extensively studied. One area of special concern, however, relates to animals that are hunted and killed for sport. Studies have shown, for example, that seven times more waterfowl die as a result of lead poisoning from lead in bullets than from gunshots by human hunters. For this reason, manufacturers of ammunition are finding substitutes for the lead that had previously been the primary component of most bullets. 

More serious than dermatoses caused by skin contact with Tetryl, TNT, DNT, Hg-Fulminate, solvents etc, during explosives and ammunition production, are exposures to toxic dusts, fumes and vapors. Among these are TNT, DNT, oxides of N, Pb-dusts and vapors, and solvent vapors. Special skin cleansing agents and solns for detecting these harmful materials on the skin are discussed in Ref 1... 

Gray Ammunition containing toxic or irritant agents. Presence of Bestalles hos KATF/TFB, Stockholm 80, 1960... 

Gray with dark Ammunition containing toxic Bombs for Aircraft, 1950... 

Ammunition, toxic with burster, expelling charge or propelling charge 0020... 

Group K Ammunition containing both an explosive and a toxic chemical... 

The planning of a process involving explosives, ammunition and toxic chemicals that can lead to explosion at the workplace should always be based on the following basic rule known as the cardinal principle of safety [29-31]. 

Chemical Ammunitions Ammunition in which the filler has the basic function of producing a toxic or irritant effect on the body, a screening effect(smoke) or an incendiary action(See also Chemical Energy Ammunition, Chemical Bombs, Chemical Grenades,Chemical Gun. "Howitzer and Recoilles Rifle Shells, Chemical Land Mines, Chemical Mortars Chemical Mortar Shells, and Chemical Rockets Refs l)Ohart(1946), 86,101,105,120,220,234, 268,290,355,357-8 362 2)Anon, "Ordnance Safety Manual , Dept of the Army ORDM 7 224, C3, Paragraph 209(1954) 3)Anon,... 

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