Compendium of Chemical Warfare Agents

232 Pages·2007·2.63 MB·English

by  Steven L. Hoenig (auth.)

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Steven L. Hoenig
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Compendium of Chemical
Warfare Agents
Compendium of Chemical
Warfare Agents
Steven L. Hoenig
Senior Chemist/Chemical Terrorism Coordinator
Florida Department of Health
Bureau of Laboratories-Miami
Library of Congress Control Number: 2006926880
ISBN-10: 0-387-34626-0
ISBN-13: 9780387346267
Printed on acid-free paper
© 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
All rights reserved. This work may not be translated or copied in whole or in part
without the written permission of the publisher (Springer Science+Business Media,
LLC, 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013, USA), except for brief excerpts in
connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. Use in connection with any form of
information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by
similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed is forbidden.
The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar
terms, even if they are not identified as such, is not to be taken as an expression of
opinion as to whether or not they are subject to proprietary rights.
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Preface
It should be noted that this book, although it contains some materials from
a previously published work, it is by no means the same. Each chemical agent
listing has been expanded to include significant additional information. In
particular, the listings now include sections containing Informational,
Physical and Chemical Properties, Reactivity, Toxicity, Safety, and Military
Significant Information. Although listed as Military Significant Information,
this section can be used by any first responder, or any person in the field. It
is not strictly for military use.
The purpose of this particular book is to equip those professionals in the
federal, state, and local level organizations that are currently involved in
Homeland Security with the necessary information to be able to address a
chemical terrorist situation.
Those professionals would be from Emergency Operations Centers, HazMat
Teams, Fire Departments, Health Departments, Civil Support Teams (CST),
Military Personnels, various Intelligence Organizations, Clinical Laboratories,
and Environmental Laboratories.
This would also include first responders such as emergency medical tech-
nicians, emergency room nurses, doctors, technicians, firefighters, police offi-
cers, clinicians, laboratorians, health department personnels, epidemiologists,
as well as researchers and related professionals.
In addition, both private and public hospitals would need this information
when those exposed to the suspected chemical terrorist agents are brought in
for treatment.
Each chapter begins with a brief introduction about the particular class of
agent, and then a brief paragraph about each individual agent.
Chapters 1 through 7 cover blister, blood, choking, incapacitating, nerve,
tear, and vomit agents. There are four additional blister agents in Chapter 1,
three additional choking agents in Chapter 3, and seven additional nerve
agents in Chapter 5. It should be noted that the subject of Novichok
compounds have been addressed in detail in Chapter 5. Do bear in mind that
these compounds have been subjected to some debate, but very little is
known about them in detail.
vii
viii Preface
In addition, Chapter 6 has three additional tear agents, mixtures that are
not included in the other book on chemical warfare.
Chapter 8 covers components that are used to make binary chemical
weapons. The chapter covers three main components that are used to make
GB2 and VX2 (the binary equivalents of GB and VX). Only those materials
not easily found elsewhere are listed. For example, one of the components for
binary VX2 is elemental sulfur (designated NE), the information about sulfur
is readily available and is not dealt with herein.
Appendix A is a glossary of the terminology and abbreviations used
throughout the book.
Appendix B covers some relevant chemical and physical concepts used in
the book.
Appendix C is a quick reference chart for signs and symptoms of exposure
to chemical terrorism agents. The chart is only meant as a guide and is not to
be all-inclusive.
Appendix D contains the FTIR spectra of the five listed nerve agents.
Appendix E is a quick cross-reference among the chemical agent, symbol,
type of agent, and CAS number.
Appendix F is a list of precursor chemicals used in the synthesis of typical
chemical warfare agents.
Appendix G is the periodic table of elements.
I hope that all those who use this book find the information useful and
practical. Suggestions are always welcomed.
Steven L. Hoenig
Acknowledgments
I wish to express my thanks to Richard Kolodkin, who has been a true friend
and more over all of these years, and through all of the hardships.
Once again I express my thanks to Richard Leff, whose friendship I deeply
appreciate and without whose assistance I would not be here now.
ix
Contents
Preface vii
Acknowledgments ix
1. Blister Agents 1
1.1. Distilled Sulfur Mustard – HD 1
1.2. Ethyldichloroarsine – ED 5
1.3. Lewisite – L-1 8
1.4. Lewisite – L-2 11
1.5. Lewisite – L-3 14
1.6. Methyldichloroarsine – MD 17
1.7. Mustard – T 20
1.8. Mustard–Lewisite Mixture – HL 22
1.9. Nitrogen Mustard – HN-1 26
1.10. Nitrogen Mustard – HN-2 29
1.11. Nitrogen Mustard – HN-3 32
1.12. Phenyldichloroarsine – PD 35
1.13. Phosgene Oxime – CX 38
1.14. Sesquimustard – Q 41
1.15. Sulfur Mustard Mixture – HT 43
2. Blood Agents 47
2.1. Arsine – SA 47
2.2. Cyanogen Chloride – CK 50
2.3. Hydrogen Cyanide – AC 53
3. Choking Agents 57
3.1. Chlorine – Cl 57
3.2. Diphosgene – DP 61
3.3. Nitric Oxide – NO 63
3.4. Perfluoroisobutylene – PFIB 66
3.5. Phosgene – CG 68
4. Incapacitating Agents 72
4.1. Agent – BZ 73
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xii Contents
5. Nerve Agents 77
5.1. Nerve Agent – A-230 80
5.2. Nerve Agent – A-232 83
5.3. Nerve Agent – A-234 85
5.4. Amiton – VG 88
5.5. Cyclosarin – GF 91
5.6. Edemo – VM 94
5.7. Ethyl Sarin – GE 97
5.8. Nerve Agent – GV 100
5.9. Nerve Agent – VE 103
5.10. Nerve Agent – VS 106
5.11. Nerve Agent – VX 109
5.12. Nerve Agent – Vx 112
5.13. Russian VX – VR 115
5.14. Sarin – GB 118
5.15. Soman – GD 122
5.16. Tabun – GA 125
6. Tear Agents 129
6.1. Bromobenzylcyanide – CA 130
6.2. Chloroacetophenone – CN 132
6.3. Chloropicrin – PS 135
6.4. o-Chlorobenzylidene Malononitrile – CS 138
6.5. Tear Agent – CNB 141
6.6. Tear Agent – CNC 144
6.7. Tear Agent – CNS 146
6.8. Tear Agent – CR 150
7. Vomit Agents 153
7.1. Adamsite – DM 153
7.2. Diphenylchloroarsine – DA 156
7.3 Diphenylcyanoarsine – DC 159
8. Binary Components 162
8.1. Alcohol – Amine Mixture – OPA 162
8.2. Binary Component – QL 165
8.3. Difluoro – DF 168
Appendix A – Glossary 171
Appendix B – Chemical and Physical Concepts 182
Appendix C – Chemical Warfare Agents, Signs, and Syndromes 189
Appendix D – FTIR/MS Spectra 193
Appendix E – Chemical Warfare Agent Cross-Reference Table 209
Appendix F – Chemical Warfare Agent Precursor
Chemicals: Uses and Equivalents 211
Appendix G – Periodic Table of the Elements 218
Index 220