Water supply contamination weaponization

A terrorist release of weapons of mass destruction damage to chemical and industrial plants, sewer lines, and water distribution systems and secondary hazards such as fires will result in toxic environmental and public health hazards to the surviving population and response personnel, including exposure to hazardous chemicals, biological substances, radiological substances, and contaminated water supplies, crops, livestock, and food products. 

Nearly 60 mieroeystin eyelie hepatopeptides have been identified of whieh mieroeystin-LR, also known as the fast death factor, is the most eommon, and the toxin of choice to be weaponized (Craig et al, 1993 Rinehart et. al, 1994). This toxin has been reported to be responsible for the deaths of wild animals and agrieultural livestock (Carmichael, 1988). A potential threat to the health of humans has been recognized in eountries where water supplies are contaminated with cyanobaeteria (Yu, 1989). In 1996, microcystin-LR was also implieated in the death of 50 Brazilian dialysis patients (Jochimsen et al, 1998). 

Food- or water-borne bacteria as weapons The use of these bacteria is less likely than using bacteria that can be spread through the air because it is hard to expose a lot of people at the same time. However, all of the above bacteria may be used to contaminate public water supplies or food at large events. Standard treatment of public water supplies would most likely kill the bacteria before people were able to drink it. 

In the early stages of the war plans for the covert use of gas and germ weapons had been relatively crude. During the Libyan campaign of 1940, the British War Cabinet had pondered various methods of contaminating German water supplies with easily available substances such as acid, salt and creosote.3 By 1942 the British Special Operations Executive had been supplied with a range of gas... 

The likeliest use of cholera as a weapon would be the contamination of a water supply or as a breathable aerosol. But this Gram-negative bacterium cannot survive acidic conditions, nor does it survive long in the absence of... 

In addition to the hazards associated with a direct release of chemicals, process facilities may also be concerned with the theft of chemicals that can be used to manufacture weapons of mass destruction, or that could be used to contaminate the environment, particularly the public water supply. 

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