Journal of Defense Management
Open Access

Types and Effects of Chemical Warfare

Sourab Krish^{* *}Correspondence: Sourab Krish, Department of Defense Management, Jamia Nagar, Okhla, New Delhi, India, Email:

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Description

The complex sociological, security, and environmental circumstances in which Chemical Warfare Agents (CWA) are used must be taken into consideration. CWA is frequently shrouded in secrecy, lacks recent data, and is linked to security concerns of both a personal and a national nature. Although CWAs have been in use for centuries, their environmental hazard features are still not well understood. Additionally, analytical techniques for CWA detection in the environment and controlled exposure in the lab still require development. To make matters worse, it is challenging to find and use standards and reference materials to create analytical procedures and analyse these illegal chemicals' CWA properties.

The worry is that these casings have corroded, releasing CWA into the marine environment and having the potential to do harm of enormous proportions. Since World War II, CWA bombs have been discharged at sea in significant quantities and in a variety of casings. The purpose of this chapter is to clarify the context of CWA, offer insight into the possible human and environmental hazards it might create today, as well as the methodological issues it undoubtedly raises.

Types of chemical warfare

Agents used in chemical weapons are dangerous compounds. The following are some of the main categories of CWAs,

• calming agents (such as sarin, soman, cyclohexylsarin, tabun, VX)

• substances that vectize or cause blisters (such as mustards, lewisite)

• lung toxins or choking agents (such as chlorine, phosgene, diphosgene)

• cyanides

• pacifying substances (such as anticholinergic compounds)

• agents used in riot control or lacrimation (such as pepper gas, chloroacetophenone, CS)

• vomiting inducers (such as adamsite)

Effects of chemical warfare

Physical characteristics: CWAs are often liquid aerosols or vapours that are dispersed after being stored, transported, and stored as liquids. Victims are typically exposed to chemicals through one or more of three routes: skin (high concentrations of liquid and vapour), eyes (liquid or vapour), and respiratory tract (vapor inhalation). Generally speaking, several liquids could be dangerous if ingested or absorbed through the skin. Winds can have an impact on vapours. A nerve agent's vapour can be blown away from its intended target by even a small breeze. When utilised in an enclosed location, vapour has stronger effects.

Clinical consequences: CWA effects may be rapid or delayed depending on the agent, exposure type, and concentration. Large amounts of mustard or nerve agents inhaled are likely to result in rapid death. Nerve agents and mustards can be hazardous even at small doses when exposed to the skin. People exposed to such chemicals need to be closely monitored for any consequences that may take time to manifest or may not manifest at all. The North Carolina Statewide Program for Infection Control and Epidemiology provides a list of indications and symptoms.

Conclusion

The Hague, Netherlands, is home to the OPCW Technical Secretariat. The CWC now has 189 member countries, or about 98% of the world's population. The mission of the OPCW is to implement the CWC's provisions, ensure a trustworthy, open system for verifying the destruction of chemical weapons, prevent their re-emergence in any member state, provide protection and assistance against chemical weapons, promote global cooperation in the peaceful uses of chemistry, and achieve universal OPCW membership. The connection agreement between the two organisations, which was approved by the General Assembly in September 2001, governs collaboration between the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.