Combat gases are modern. Characteristics of chemical warfare agents

Modern agents are conditionally divided: according to the nature of the damaging effect into neuro-paralytic, general poisonous asphyxiating, skin-blistering, irritating and psychogenic; depending on the boiling point and volatility into persistent and unstable.

Poisonous nerve agents are a group of lethal agents, which are highly toxic phosphorus-containing agents (sarin, soman, Vi-X). All phosphorus-containing substances are highly soluble in organic solvents and fats, easily penetrate through intact skin. They operate in drop-liquid and aerosol (vapours, mist) state. Once in the body, phosphorus-containing agents inhibit (inhibit) enzymes that regulate the transmission of nerve impulses in the systems of the respiratory center, blood circulation, cardiac activity, etc.

Poisoning develops quickly. At low toxic doses (mild lesions), constriction of the pupils of the eyes (miosis), salivation, chest pain, and shortness of breath occur. In severe lesions, shortness of breath, profuse sweating, stomach cramps, involuntary separation of urine, sometimes vomiting, convulsions and respiratory paralysis immediately occur.

Poisonous substances of general toxic action - a group of fast-acting volatile agents (hydrocyanic acid, cyanogen chloride, carbon monoxide, arsenic and phosphorous hydrogen) that affect the blood and nervous system. The most toxic hydrocyanic acid and cyanogen chloride.

In severe poisoning with general toxic agents, there is a metallic taste in the mouth, chest tightness, a feeling of intense fear, severe shortness of breath, convulsions, paralysis of the respiratory center. Poisonous substances of asphyxiating action, when inhaled, the upper respiratory tract and lung tissues are affected. The main representatives are phosgene and diphosgene. When inhaled, phosgene smells of rotting hay and an unpleasant sweetish taste in the mouth, there is a burning sensation in the throat, coughing, tightness in the chest.

Upon leaving the contaminated atmosphere, these signs disappear. After 46 hours, the condition of the affected person deteriorates sharply. There is a cough with copious secretion of a foamy liquid, breathing becomes difficult.

Poisonous substances of blistering action mustard gas and nitrogen mustard gas. Mustard gas easily penetrates through the skin and mucous membranes; getting into the blood and lymph, it spreads throughout the body, causing general poisoning of a person or animal. When drops of mustard gas get on the skin, signs of damage are detected after 48 hours. In mild cases, reddening of the skin appears, followed by the development of edema and itching. In more severe skin lesions, blisters form, which burst and form ulcers after 23 days. In the absence of infection, the affected area heals after 10-20 days.

It is possible to damage the skin with mustard gas vapors, but weaker than drops. Vapors of mustard gas cause damage to the eyes and respiratory organs. When the eyes are affected, there is a feeling of clogging of the eyes, itching, inflammation of the conjunctiva, necrosis of the cornea, and the formation of ulcers. 46 hours after inhalation of mustard gas vapors, dryness and soreness in the throat, a sharp painful cough, then hoarseness and loss of voice, inflammation of the bronchi and lungs appear.

Irritant poisonous substances- a group of agents that act on the mucous membranes of the eyes (lachrymators, for example, chloracetophenone) and the upper respiratory tract (sternites, for example, adamsite). The combined irritating action agents of the SI-ES and SI-ER types are most effective.

Poisonous substances of psychogenic action- a group of agents that cause temporary psychosis due to a violation of chemical regulation in the central nervous system. Representatives of these are substances such as "LSD" (lesergic acid ethylamide), Bi-Zet. These are colorless crystalline substances, poorly soluble in water, used in aerosol standing. When ingested, they can cause movement disorders, visual and hearing impairments, hallucinations, mental disorders, or completely change the normal picture of human behavior; (the state of psychosis, similar to that observed in patients with schizophrenia).

Persistent agents- a group of high-boiling agents that retain their damaging effect from several hours to several days and even weeks after application. Persistent poisonous substances (PTS) evaporate slowly, are resistant to air and moisture. The main representatives of Vi-X (Vi-gases), soman, mustard gas.

Unstable agents- a group of low-boiling agents that contaminate the air for a relatively short period (from several minutes to 12 hours). Typical representatives of HOB are phosgene, hydrocyanic acid, cyanogen chloride.

Chemical weapons are called military means, damaging effect which is based on the use of the toxic properties of toxic substances (OS).

Chemical agents include toxic chemical compounds intended for inflicting massive damage to manpower during their combat use. Some agents are designed to destroy vegetation.

WAs are able to strike manpower with high efficiency over large areas without destroying material assets, penetrate cabins, shelters and structures that do not have special equipment, retain their damaging effect for a certain time after their use, infect the area and various objects, have a negative psychological impact on personnel. In the shells of chemical munitions, toxic substances are in a liquid or solid state. At the moment of application, they, being released from the shell, turn into a combat state: vaporous (gaseous), aerosol (smoke, fog, drizzle) or liquid drop. In the state of vapor or gas, OM is fragmented into individual molecules, in the state of fog - into the smallest drops, in the state of smoke - into the smallest solid particles.

The most common tactical and physiological classifications of OS (Fig. 4).

In tactical classification, toxic substances are divided into:

1. According to saturated vapor pressure (volatility) on:

• unstable (phosgene, hydrocyanic acid);
• persistent (mustard gas, lewisite, VX);
• poisonous smoke (adamsite, chloroacetophenone).

2. By the nature of the impact on manpower on:

• lethal (sarin, mustard gas);
• temporarily incapacitating personnel (chloroacetophenone, quinuclidyl-3-benzilate);
• irritant: (adamsite, chloroacetophenone);
• educational: (chloropicrin);

3. By the speed of the onset of the damaging effect on:

• fast-acting - do not have a latent period (sarin, soman, VX, AC, Ch, Cs, CR);
• slow-acting - have a period of latent action (mustard gas, Phosgene, BZ, Louisite, Adamsite).

Rice. 4. Classification of poisonous substances

In the physiological classification (according to the nature of the effect on the human body), toxic substances are divided into six groups:

1. Nerve.
2. Skin blister.
3. General poisonous.
4. Suffocating.
5. Annoying.
6. Psychochemical.

TO nerve agents (NOV) include: VX, Sarin, Soman. These substances are colorless or slightly yellowish liquids that are easily absorbed into the skin, into various paints, rubber products and other materials, and are easily collected on fabrics. The lightest of the NOVs is sarin, so its main combat state when used is steam. In the vapor state, sarin causes damage mainly through the respiratory system.

Sarin vapors can also penetrate the human body through the skin, and the lethal toxodose is 200 times higher than when the vapors are inhaled. In this regard, the defeat of manpower protected by gas masks by sarin vapors in the field is unlikely.

OV VX has low volatility, and its main combat state is a coarse aerosol (drizzle). OV is designed to defeat manpower through the respiratory organs and unprotected skin, as well as for long-term contamination of the area and objects on it. VX is several times more toxic than sarin when exposed through the respiratory organs and hundreds of times when exposed through the skin in drop form. A drop of VX in a few mg on open skin is enough to inflict a fatal defeat on a person. Due to the low volatility of VX, contamination of the air with its vapors by evaporation of droplets that have settled on the soil will be insignificant. In this regard, the defeat of VX pairs of manpower protected by gas masks in the field is practically impossible.

HOBs are quite resistant to water, so they can infect on long time stagnant waters: Sarin for up to 2 months, and VX for up to six or more.

Soman in its properties is intermediate between sarin and VX.

When a person is exposed to small toxodoses of NOV, visual impairment is observed due to constriction of the pupils of the eyes (miosis), difficulty in breathing, and a feeling of heaviness in the chest. These phenomena are accompanied by severe headaches and can last for several days. When exposed to the body of lethal toxodosis, there is a strong miosis, suffocation, profuse salivation and sweating, a feeling of fear, vomiting, attacks of severe convulsions, loss of consciousness. Often death occurs from respiratory and cardiac paralysis.

TO blister skin agents primarily refers to distilled (purified) mustard gas, which is a colorless or slightly yellowish liquid. Mustard gas is easily absorbed into various paints, rubber and porous materials. The main combat state of mustard gas is drop-liquid or aerosol. Possessing great resistance, mustard gas is capable of creating dangerous concentrations over contaminated areas, especially in summer, it is capable of infecting water bodies, but is poorly soluble in water.

Mustard gas has a multilateral damaging effect. When acting in drop-liquid, aerosol and vapor states, it causes not only damage to the skin, but also general poisoning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems when absorbed into the blood. A feature of the toxic effect of mustard gas is that it has a period of latent action. Skin lesions begin with redness, which appears 2-6 hours after exposure. A day later, at the site of redness, small blisters are formed, filled with a yellow transparent liquid. After 2-3 days, the blisters burst, and ulcers are formed that do not heal for 20-30 days. When inhaled vapors or aerosols of mustard gas, the first signs of damage appear after a few hours in the form of dryness and burning in the nasopharynx. In severe cases, pneumonia develops. Death occurs in 3-4 days. Eyes are especially sensitive to mustard gas vapors. When exposed to vapors, there is a feeling of clogging of the eyes with sand, lacrimation and photophobia, then eyelid edema occurs. Eye contact with mustard gas almost always results in blindness.

General toxic agents disrupt the activity of many organs and tissues, primarily the circulatory and nervous systems. A typical representative of general toxic agents is cyanogen chloride, which is a colorless gas (at a temperature< 13°С — жидкость) с резким запахом. Хлорциан является быстродействующим ОВ. Он устойчив к действию воды, хорошо сорбируется пористыми материалами. Основное боевое состояние – газ. Ввиду хорошей сорбируемости обмундирования необходимо учитывать возможность заноса хлорциана в убежище. Хлорциан поражает человека через органы дыхания и вызывает неприятный металлический привкус во рту, раздражение глаз, чувство горечи, царапанье в горле, слабость, головокружение, тошноту и рвоту, затруднение речи. После этого появляется чувство страха, пульс становится редким, а дыхание – прерывистым. Поражённый теряет сознание, начинается приступ судорог и наступает паралич. Смерть наступает от остановки дыхания. При поражении хлорцианом наблюдается розовая окраска лица и слизистых оболочек.

TO suffocating include agents that affect human lung tissue. This is, first of all, phosgene, which is a colorless gas (at temperatures below 80C - liquid) with bad smell rotten hay. Phosgene has low resistance, but since it is heavier than air, at high concentrations it is able to "flow" into the cracks of various objects. Phosgene affects the body only through the respiratory organs and causes pulmonary edema, which leads to a disruption in the supply of air oxygen to the body, causing suffocation. There is a period of latent action (2-12 hours) and cumulative. When phosgene is inhaled, there is a slight irritation of the mucous membrane of the eyes, lacrimation, dizziness, cough, chest tightness, nausea. After leaving the infected area, these phenomena disappear within a few hours. Then suddenly there is a sharp deterioration in the condition, there is a strong cough with copious sputum, headache and shortness of breath, blue lips, eyelids, cheeks, nose, increased heart rate, pain in the heart, weakness, suffocation, fever up to 38-390C. Pulmonary edema lasts for several days and is usually fatal.

TO annoying agents include CS-type agents, chloroacetophenone, and adamsite. All of them are solid state agents. Their main combat state is aerosol (smoke or fog). OS cause irritation of the eyes, respiratory organs, and differ from each other only in terms of effects on the body. At low concentrations, CS is both a strong irritant to the eyes and upper respiratory tract, and at high concentrations it causes burns. open areas skin. In some cases, paralysis of the respiratory system, heart and death occurs. Chloracetophenone, acting on the eyes, causes severe lacrimation, photophobia, pain in the eyes, convulsive compression of the eyelids. If it comes into contact with the skin, it can cause irritation, burning. Adamsite when inhaled after a short period of latent action (20-30 s) causes burning in the mouth and nasopharynx, chest pain, dry cough, sneezing, vomiting. After leaving the contaminated atmosphere or putting on a gas mask, the signs of damage increase within 15-20 minutes, and then slowly subside within 1-3 hours.

All of these irritating agents were widely used by the US Army during the Vietnam War.

TO psychochemical OS include substances that act on the nervous system and cause mental (hallucination, fear, depression, depression) or physical (blindness, deafness, paralysis) disorders.

These include, first of all, BZ - a non-volatile substance, the main combat state of which is an aerosol (smoke). OB BZ infects the body through the respiratory or gastrointestinal tract. When contaminated air is inhaled, the action of the agent begins to appear after 0.5–3 hours (depending on the dose). Then within a few hours there is a rapid heartbeat, dry skin, dry mouth, dilated pupils and blurred vision, staggering gait, confusion and vomiting. Small doses cause drowsiness and reduced combat capability. In the next 8 hours, numbness and inhibition of speech occurs. The person is in a frozen pose and is not able to respond to a change in the situation. Then comes the period of excitation up to 4 days. It is characterized by increased activity in the affected person, fussiness, disorderly actions, verbosity, difficulty in perceiving events, contact with him is impossible .. This lasts up to 2-4 days, then there is a gradual return to normal.

All chemical munitions have approximately the same device and consist of a body, an explosive agent, an explosive device and an explosive charge. For the use of HE, the enemy can use aerial bombs, artillery shells, pouring aircraft devices (VAP), as well as ballistic, cruise missiles (UAVs). It is believed that with their help it is possible to transfer a significant amount of toxic substances to the target and at the same time maintain the surprise of the attack.

Modern aviation has exceptionally great potential for the use of RW. An important advantage of aviation lies in the possibility of transferring a large amount of explosives to targets located in the rear. Aviation means of chemical attack include chemical aerial bombs and pouring aviation devices - special tanks of various capacities (up to 150 kg).

Artillery weapons (cannon, howitzer and rocket-propelled chemical munitions) are usually loaded with sarin and VX gases. Multi-barreled rocket launchers, which compare favorably with conventional artillery, can also be used to deliver OM.

In addition, chemical bombs and aerosol generators are used. Chemical bombs burrow into the ground and camouflage themselves. They are intended to infect the area - roads, engineering structures, passages after the withdrawal of their troops. Aerosol generators are used to infect large volumes of air.

Combat toxic chemicals (BTCS) are such chemical compounds that, when used, are capable of infecting people and animals over large areas, penetrating various structures, infecting terrain and water bodies. The means of their application and delivery to the target can be rockets, aerial bombs, artillery shells and mines, chemical land mines, as well as pouring aircraft devices (VAL). BTXV can be used in a drop-liquid state, in the form of gas (steam) and aerosol (fog, smoke). They can penetrate the human body and infect it through the respiratory, digestive, skin and eyes. In terms of their damaging properties, poisonous substances differ from other military means in their ability to penetrate, together with air, into various unpressurized structures and objects and infect people in them, maintain their damaging effect in the air, on the ground, on various objects for several hours to several days and even weeks. Vapors of toxic substances are capable of spreading in the direction of the wind over considerable distances from areas of direct application. chemical weapons.

In order to timely identify the emerging danger of poisoning and take the necessary protective measures, it is necessary to have a general understanding of toxic substances, phototoxins and toxic potent substances.

BTW classification

According to the effect on the human body, BTXV are divided into nerve-paralytic, suffocating, general poisonous, blistering, toxins (botulinum, phytotoxicants, staphylococcal enterotoxin and ricin), irritating and psychochemical.

BTXV nerve agents - highly toxic organophosphorus substances (V-gases, sarin, etc.) affect the nervous system. These are the most dangerous BTXVs. They affect the body through the respiratory system, the skin (in the vaporous and drip-liquid state), as well as when they enter the gastrointestinal tract along with food and water (that is, they have a multilateral damaging effect). Their resistance in summer is more than a day, in winter - several weeks and even months; a small amount of them is enough to defeat a person.

Signs of damage are: salivation, constriction of the pupils, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, convulsions and paralysis.

For protection, a gas mask and protective clothing are used. To provide first aid to the affected person, a gas mask is put on him and an antidote is administered using a syringe tube or by taking a tablet. In case of contact with nerve-paralytic BTXV on the skin or clothing, the affected areas are treated with liquid from an individual anti-chemical package.

BTXV of suffocating effect (phosgene, etc.) affect the body through the respiratory organs. Signs of defeat are a sweetish, unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth, cough, dizziness, general weakness. The peculiarity of the impact of this BTXV is the presence of a latent (incubation) period, when these phenomena disappear after leaving the focus of infection, and the victim feels normal for 4-6 hours, unaware of the lesion. During this period (latent action) pulmonary edema develops. Then breathing may sharply worsen, a cough with copious sputum, headache, fever, shortness of breath, palpitations will appear, and death will occur. For protection it is necessary to use a gas mask.

To provide assistance, a gas mask is put on the victim, they take him out of the infected area, cover him warmly and provide peace. Under no circumstances should artificial respiration be given.

BTXV of general toxic action (hydrocyanic acid, chlorine cyan, etc.) affect the body through the respiratory system. Signs of damage are a metallic taste in the mouth, throat irritation, dizziness, weakness, nausea, severe convulsions, paralysis. For protection it is necessary to use a gas mask. To help the victim, it is necessary to crush the ampoule with the antidote and insert it under the gas mask helmet-mask. In severe cases, the victim is given artificial respiration, warmed up and sent to the medical center.

BTXV of blistering action (mustard gas, etc.) have a multilateral damaging effect. In the drop-liquid and vapor state, they affect the skin and eyes, when inhaled vapors - the respiratory tract and lungs, when ingested with food and water - the digestive organs. Feature mustard gas - the presence of a period of latent action (the lesion is not detected immediately, but after a while - 4 hours or more). Signs of damage are reddening of the skin, the formation of small blisters, which then merge into large ones and burst after two or three days, turning into ulcers that are difficult to heal. With any local lesions, HTS causes a general poisoning of the body, which manifests itself in fever, malaise, and complete loss of legal capacity.

Classification and a brief description of chemical warfare agents

Chemical weapons are poisonous substances and the means by which they are used on the battlefield. The basis of the damaging effect of chemical weapons is toxic substances.

Poisonous substances (abbreviated as CW) are chemical compounds that, when used, can cause damage to unprotected manpower or reduce its combat capability. In terms of their destructive properties, agents differ from other combat weapons: they are capable of penetrating, together with air, into various structures, tanks and other military equipment and inflicting damage on people in them; they can retain their damaging effect in the air, on the ground and in various objects for some, sometimes quite a long time; spreading in large volumes of air and over large areas, they defeat all people who are in their area of ​​\u200b\u200baction without means of protection; vapors are capable of propagating in the direction of the wind over considerable distances from areas of direct use of chemical weapons.

Chemical weapons are classified according to the following characteristics:

• 1) the nature of the physiological effects of OM on the human body;
• 2) tactical purpose;
• 3) the speed of the oncoming impact;
• 4) resistance of the used agent;
• 5) means and methods of application.

According to the nature of the physiological effects on the human body, six main types of toxic substances are distinguished:

Poisonous nerve agents that affect the central nervous system. The purpose of the use of agents of nerve paralytic action is the rapid and massive incapacitation of personnel with the greatest possible number of deaths. The toxic substances of this group include sarin, soman, tabun and V-gases. damaging chemical weapon poisoning combat

Poisonous substances of blistering action. They cause damage mainly through the skin, and when applied in the form of aerosols and vapors - also through the respiratory system. The main toxic substances are mustard gas, lewisite.

Poisonous substances of general poisonous action. Once in the body, they disrupt the transfer of oxygen from the blood to the tissues. This is one of the fastest operating systems. These include hydrocyanic acid and cyanogen chloride.

Asphyxiating agents affect mainly the lungs. The main OMs are phosgene and diphosgene.

Psychochemical agents are capable of incapacitating the enemy's manpower for some time. These toxic substances, acting on the central nervous system, disrupt the normal mental activity of a person or cause such mental deficiencies as temporary blindness, deafness, a sense of fear, and limitation of motor functions. Poisoning with these substances, in doses that cause mental disorders, does not lead to death. OBs from this group are quinuclidyl-3-benzilate (BZ) and lysergic acid diethylamide.

Poisonous substances of irritating action, or irritants (from the English. irritant - an irritating substance). Irritants are fast-acting. At the same time, their effect, as a rule, is short-lived, since after leaving the infected zone, the signs of poisoning disappear after 1-10 minutes. A lethal effect for irritants is possible only when doses enter the body that are tens to hundreds of times higher than the minimum and optimal effective doses. Irritant agents include lachrymal substances that cause profuse lacrimation and sneezing, irritating the respiratory tract (may also affect the nervous system and cause skin lesions). Tear agents are CS, CN or chloroacetophenone and PS or chloropicrin. The sneezers are DM (adamsite), DA (diphenylchlorarsine) and DC (diphenylcyanarsine). There are agents that combine tear and sneezing actions. Annoying agents are in service with the police in many countries and are therefore classified as police or special means non-lethal action (special means).

There are known cases of the use of other chemical compounds that do not aim at directly defeating the enemy's manpower. Yes, in Vietnam War The United States used defoliants (the so-called "Agent Orange", containing toxic dioxin), causing the leaves to fall from trees.

Tactical classification subdivides the weapons into groups according to their combat purpose. Lethal (according to American terminology, lethal agents) are substances intended for the destruction of manpower, which include agents of nerve paralytic, blistering, general poisonous and asphyxiating effects. Temporarily incapacitating manpower (according to American terminology, harmful agents) are substances that make it possible to solve tactical tasks of incapacitating manpower for periods ranging from several minutes to several days. These include psychotropic substances (incapacitants) and irritants (irritants).

However, non-lethal substances can also cause death. In particular, during the Vietnam War, the US Army used the following types of gases:

CS -- orthochlorobenzylidene malononitrile and its formulations

CN -- chloroacetophenone

DM -- adamsite or chlordihydrophenarsazine

CNS -- prescription form of chloropicrin

BAE - bromoacetone

BZ -- quinuclidyl-3-benzylate.

According to the US military themselves, the gases were used in non-lethal concentrations. However, as Francis Kahn, professor at the Sorbonne Faculty of Medicine, pointed out, conditions were created in Vietnam (use in in large numbers confined space) when CS gas was a lethal weapon.

According to the speed of exposure, high-speed and slow-acting agents are distinguished. Fast-acting drugs include nerve agents, general poisons, irritants, and some psychotropic substances. Slow-acting substances include blistering, asphyxiating and certain psychotropic substances.

Depending on the duration of the preservation of the damaging ability, agents are divided into short-term (unstable or volatile) and long-term (persistent). The damaging effect of the former is calculated in minutes (AC, CG). The action of the latter can last from several hours to several weeks after their application.

During the First World War, chemical weapons were widely used in hostilities, but despite the lethality of their action, their effectiveness did not justify itself. The possibility of application was extremely dependent on the weather, direction and strength of the wind, suitable conditions for massive use, in some cases it was necessary to wait for weeks. When used during offensives, the side using it itself suffered losses from its own chemical weapons, and the losses of the enemy did not exceed the losses from traditional artillery fire during the artillery preparation of the offensive. In subsequent wars, the massive combat use of chemical weapons was no longer observed.

At the end of the 20th century, in view of the high development of the protection of troops against WMD, the main purpose of combat HE was considered to be exhausting and shackling the enemy's manpower.

As a basis for the classification of agents, the most important characteristic properties inherent in a number of substances are usually used, which, according to these characteristics, are combined into certain groups. The division of OM into groups characterized by the commonality of certain properties and features is the basis for various classifications.

The most common toxicological (clinical) classification, according to which all agents, depending on the characteristics of their toxic effects on the body, are divided into seven groups:

1. Nerve agents (nerve gases): Sarin, Soman, V-gases (V-gases).

2. Agent of blistering action (vesicants): mustard gas, nitrogen mustard, lewisite.

3. General poisonous agents: hydrocyanic acid, cyanogen chloride.

4. Suffocating agents: chlorine, phosgene, diphosgene.

5. Tear agents (lachrymators): chloroacetophenone, bromobenzyl cyanide, chloropicrin.

6. Irritating agents (sternites): diphenylchlorarsine, diphenylcyanarsine, adamsite, CS, CR.

7. Psychotomimetic agents: lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD-25), glycolic acid derivatives (BZ).

By the nature of the losses caused OV are divided into: destroying the enemy (sarin, soman, V-gases (V-gases), mustard gas, nitrogen mustard, lewisite, hydrocyanic acid, cyanogen chloride, chlorine, phosgene, diphosgene) and temporarily incapacitating (chloroacetophenone, bromobenzyl cyanide, chloropicrin, diphenylchloroarsine, diphenylcyanarsine, adamsite, CS, CR, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD-25), glycolic acid derivatives (BZ)).

According to the duration of the contaminating effect on: persistent (long-acting) substances with a high boiling point (over 150 0 C), they slowly evaporate and infect the area and objects for a long time - (sarin, soman, vigas, mustard gas and lewisite) and unstable (short-acting) - substances with a low boiling point, quickly evaporate and infect the area on a short time up to 1-2 hours - (phosgene, diphosgene, hydrocyanic acid, cyanogen chloride).

By toxicokinetic (damaging) action, depending on the rate of development of the lesion clinic: fast-acting (FOV, hydrocyanic acid, psychotomimetics) and slow-acting (mustard gas and phosgenes).

By physical (aggregate) state divided into: vapors, aerosols, liquids and solids.

By chemical structure toxic substances are organic compounds of various classes:

P organophosphorus compounds– sarin, soman, V-gases, binary FOV;

P halogenated sulfides- mustard gas and its analogues;

P arsenic-containing substances(arsines) - lewisite, adamsite, diphenylchlorarsine;

P halogenated derivatives of carbonic acid- phosgene, diphosgene;

P nitriles– hydrocyanic acid, cyanogen chloride, CS;

P derivatives benzyl acid(benzylates) - BZ.

By practical application are divided into:

1. Industrial poisons used in production: organic solvents, fuels, dyes, chemicals, plasticizers and others.

2. Pesticides: chlorophos, hexochloran, granosan, sevin, and others.

3. Medicines.

4. Household chemicals: acetic acid, care product for clothes, shoes, furniture, car and others.

5. Biological plant and animal poisons.

6. Chemical warfare agents.

According to the degree of toxicity are divided into: extremely toxic, highly toxic, moderately toxic, and non-toxic toxic substances.

In the US and NATO armies, poisonous substances are divided into service and limited service (reserve) ones. Standard agents most likely to be used on a mass scale include sarin, V-gases, binary OPs, mustard gas, CS, CR, phosgene, and BZ. The rest of the OVs are classified as limited personnel.

Medico-tactical characteristics of chemical foci

The focus of chemical damage is a territory with people, water and atmosphere located on it, exposed to toxic substances.

In the medical-tactical characterization of the focus of chemical damage, the following are estimated: the size of the chemical focus, the type and durability of the agent, the method of its application, meteorological conditions (temperature, wind speed and direction), the time during which the danger of damage to personnel and the population remains, the ways in which the agent enters into the body and their damaging effect, the estimated number of sanitary losses, the probable period of death of people in case of poisoning with lethal doses, the availability of protective equipment, the organization of chemical reconnaissance, the notification of the “chemical alarm” signal and chemical protection.

The size of the focus of chemical damage depends on the power of the chemical strike, the enemy, the means and methods of using agents, their type and state of aggregation.

In accordance with the medico-tactical classification, there are the following types chemical foci (options):

The focus of damage with persistent high-speed agents is formed by V-gases during inhalation intake, as well as sarin and soman;

The focus of damage by persistent agents of delayed action is formed by V-gases, mustard gas when entering through the skin;

The lesion site with unstable high-speed agents is formed by hydrocyanic acid, cyanogen chloride, chloroacetophenone;

The focus of damage by unstable slow-acting agents is formed by BZ, phosgene, diphosgene.

As a rule, personal sanitary losses in a chemical outbreak will be massive, especially among the civilian population, if not the entire population is provided with protective equipment (including children, the sick, etc.). Particularly dangerous are the foci of highly toxic agents of rapid lethal action. In chemical foci of other OM, there will be fewer affected, but they will also be numerous. Sanitary losses in chemical outbreaks will occur almost simultaneously, within a few minutes. The affected will be in the contaminated area, under the constant threat of even greater poisoning. All those affected will need emergency medical care, rapid evacuation from the infected focus, and up to 30-40% emergency care for health reasons. Affected by persistent agents, it is necessary to carry out complete sanitization, since the skin and clothing will be contaminated. Medical personnel in the lesion must work in protective equipment, which greatly complicates and slows down the work. Contaminated food and water become dangerous to consume. Persistent agents infect the territory for a long time, paralyze the normal life of people.