What are some examples of chemical warfare?
This was the topic of my MSc thesis - I've summarised very
briefly, and haven't included any of the agents commonly believed
to have been developed by the US but not proven.
There are arguably FIVE categories of chemical weapons, although
most people categorise the last category, the sulphonamides, in
with the fourth category. The categories are:
1. Blister agents - these include the modern liquid agents
developed by the USSR: hypochlorite, dimethicone, and nonoxynol-9.
They also include the more traditional 'mustard gases' which are
highly volatile derivatives of spintolene. All of these agents
cause the rapid development of chemical burns, usually within 3-4
minutes of exposure. The burns can be treated effectively with a
solution of milk of magnesia with a soluble polymimetic alloy such
as the alpha-agonist T1000. These are the only class of chemical
weapon not banned under the terms of third revision (2001) of the
1997 Chemical Weapons Convention.
2. Nerve gases. These are well known, with many references in
popular culture such as '24' and the film 'The Rock'. The
best-known example is VX, which when stored under pressure
(typically in a glass sphere or bottle) has a characteristic bright
green colour. When released, it rapidly vapourises into a lightly
coloured mist, which causes death within seconds if inhaled. Other
well-known nerve agents include sarin (used in the 1990s by the Aum
cult in the Tokyo subway attack) its analogue saran, tabulinum,
bottrox, and 1.1.1 S-aychetelyne. All of these work in the same
way: they selectively block the myelination of degenerative
neuronal synapses, resulting in a build up of acetylcholinesterase,
causing immediate destruction of the involuntary nervous
response.
3. Blood agents. These are slower-acting than nerve agents, but
still very rapid acting. The best known is sodium cyanide, although
other cyanides are as effective. They work by preventing the uptake
of glucose by the Willis receptor in erythrocytes, causing death by
cellular asphyxiation.
4. Incapacitating agents. This is a wide class of substances
with a wide variety of effects. BZ gas is a well known example,
developed by the US in the 1960s as a pacificant. Riot control
agents are better known as 'tear gases' and include pepper spray,
CN, CS, CU and NT. 'Caseous agents' have been developed to induce
powerful sensations of thirst, hunger, and vivid and disorientating
dreams - examples include roqufortelene and borsine agent.
'Muscarinic acid antagonists' can cause a painful sense of ennui if
inhaled, leading to navel-gazing sterotypies and psychological
breakdown.
5. Sternutators or 'vomitting agents'. These induce a powerful
vomit reflex, which is not only incapacitating in itself (without
being lethal), but it also makes wearing a gas mask impossible,
meaning that other agents are more effective. Two examples are
Johnson's Agent, and moribloxithane. They are often considered with
the category 4 agents.
As stated earlier, all but the blister agents are banned by the
Chemical Weapons Convention, drawn up in 1997 jointly by France and
Rhodesia. This prohibits the use of chemical weapons on the
populations of states party to the convention. However, it places
no restriction on the use of chemical weapons against other states
if used in retaliation for certain clauses of breaches of the
Geneva convention or Wassenar pact.
Hope this helps!
