Which group of poisonous substances is the most dangerous. Types of poisonous gases, their effects on the body

Poisonous substances are chemical compounds with a high degree of toxicity, which are used as chemical weapons. Their special properties consist in the possibility of using them to infect the territory, food and military equipment, as well as to tactically defeat the enemy. These chemical compounds penetrate the human body through the digestive tract, organs of the respiratory system, skin pores and mucous membranes.

Overview of the most dangerous toxic substances

Chemical weapons, created on the basis of poisonous substances (OS), were actively used during the First World War. The mass use of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) has been officially discontinued since 1997, although behind the scenes research in this area continues. Data on new developments are under the control of intelligence agencies and rarely become publicly available. Among the publicized agents, the drugs from the following list are recognized as the most dangerous:

vx, V-Ex, wi-x, V-gas	A group of chemical compounds with nerve-paralytic (neurotoxic) properties. For a long time it was considered the most toxic of all CWAs invented by man. Externally, V-gas resembles a thick, oily, transparent liquid with a high degree of volatility. Inhalation of the gas causes death after only a quarter of an hour; upon contact of the poison with the skin, its action slows down up to several hours. When distributed in the surrounding area, it persists for 1-2 weeks. The most notorious use case involved the assassination of the brother of Kim Jong-un, the ruler of the DPRK, in 2017.
Chlorine	One of the first BOV used during the First World War. It is a pulmonotoxic gas, if it enters the lungs, it causes severe tissue burns and suffocation. At the same time, it is an important biogenic element, found in the composition of all living organisms on the planet. The most famous case of use is the Battle of Ypres in 1915, the beginning of the mass use of chemical weapons (mustard gas) in the course of hostilities.
Sarin	Clear liquid with nerve-paralytic properties, easily soluble in water. On the territory it is able to persist up to 4 hours after distribution. At lethal concentrations, it is fatal within one minute of inhalation or skin contact. Sarin was used in the 1994 Tokyo subway terrorist attack and in Syria in 2013.
Soman	A clear liquid with nerve-paralytic properties that smells like apples or freshly cut hay. More toxic (2.5 times) and more persistent analogue of sarin. There were no officially known cases of use.
Cyclosarine	Nerve-paralytic CW, 4 times more toxic than sarin. It is a colorless liquid with a sweet smell, reminiscent of the aroma of peaches. Approved for production, storage and use for research, but not for military purposes.
Phosgene	A toxic suffocating gas with a specific odor reminiscent of rotten hay. Belongs to the category of suffocating BOV, after a quarter of an hour, a lethal concentration leads to pulmonary edema and death. Extremely dangerous, but only in contact with the respiratory system. Phosgene was widely used during military operations at the beginning of the last century.
Adamsite	The yellow powder was used as an aerosol during the First World War. It affects only the respiratory tract, leads to their severe irritation and suffocate. A high concentration of this substance leads to death a minute after contact.
Hydrocyanic acid	A highly volatile toxic liquid with a bitter almond odor. Causes tissue hypoxia internal organs, leads to death after a quarter of an hour. It was used in 1916 on the Somme River, by the Nazis in concentration camps, and also in US prisons in the execution of death sentences until 1999.
Newbie	It belongs to the third generation of chemical weapons, it consists of relatively harmless components, or precursors. When they are combined, chemical warfare agents with a high degree of toxicity are formed. According to some reports, during the Foliant program operating in the USSR, a poisonous substance with binary properties was developed by a group of researchers, but the exact data about it are classified as state secrets. The newcomer gained notoriety in 1995 when Russian banker Ivan Kivelidi was poisoned (the poison was applied to a telephone receiver), and in 2018 he appeared in the Skripal case.
Polonium-210	Extremely toxic, carcinogenic and radiotoxic substance. 4 trillion times more toxic than hydrocyanic acid. It affects the liver, kidneys, spleen, bone marrow, and upon tactile contact leads to radiation damage to the skin and all internal organs. It is not used as a chemical weapon, but gained notoriety in the poisoning of Russian state security lieutenant colonel Alexander Litvinenko in 2006.

Types and classification of poisonous substances

The generally accepted physiological classification of toxic substances identifies 7 main categories, taking into account the specifics of their effects on humans:

nerve agents	Organic compounds related to derivatives phosphoric acids. This group of BOVs is considered the most toxic: if you open a test tube with such a compound for a few seconds, holding your breath, you can die - the gas will penetrate through the pores of the skin and enter the bloodstream. This action of the poison is called resorptive. This group includes Zarin, Soman, V-gas. Nerve paralytic agents are distinguished by their ability to inhibit the activity of enzymes and cause the accumulation of acetylcholine in the tissues, which is responsible for nervous excitement and performance of many vital organs.
suffocating	Chemical compounds that affect the organs of the respiratory system and lead to a severe form of toxic shock. The most well-known asphyxiant poisons are diphosgene and phosgene.
Skin blister	Warfare agents that cause inflammatory processes in the skin and mucous membranes, and further lead to their necrosis and destruction. This category includes mustard gas and lewisite.
Psychochemical	A category of substances that can cause conditions that resemble acute psychoses in clinical manifestations. A single exposure to CWA leads to various changes in the psyche, from mild disorders to complete mental breakdown. The most famous are BZ (bi zet), amphetamine, DLK.
General poisonous	BOV, characterized by the absence of local symptoms. The ways of their penetration into the body do not affect the localization of the consequences of toxic damage - the toxin causes general poisoning. Among the most common representatives of the category, it is worth noting cyanogen bromide, cyanogen chloride, hydrocyanic acid.
Lachrymators	agents that irritate the eyes. Sometimes they are also called tear BOVs. These chemicals irritate the endings trigeminal nerve, excitation of the muscles of the eyelids and lacrimal glands. As a result, as a defensive reaction, the victim begins an indomitable lacrimation, and the muscles of the eyelids spasm. The category includes chloroacetophenone, chloropicrin, bromoacetone.
Sternites	A category of chemical compounds that enter the human body when inhaled, settle on the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and provoke their strong irritation. It is manifested by coughing and sneezing, and later by intense, indomitable vomiting. Among the known sternites are adamsite, diphenylcyanarsine. They were actively used during the First World War, received the common name "blue cross" because of the markings used then.

Sometimes lachrymators and sternites are combined into common group- poisonous substances of irritating action, or irritants. A number of researchers also distinguish the following groups toxic substances:

1. Algogens, or pain agents, are compounds that, when in contact with the skin, cause hyperemia and severe pain that persist for several hours. Among them are capsaicin, methoxycycloheptatriene, dibenzoxazepine.
2. Emetics, or emetic agents. Their toxic effect mainly affects the work of the digestive tract, regardless of the way the toxin enters the body. These include phenylimidophosgene, ethylcarbazole.
3. Malodorants - OV, characterized by a sharp, extremely bad smell. They have an average or low degree of toxicity, they are usually included in mixtures with irritants (for example, in the Israeli drug Skunk).

Depending on the speed of response, in toxicology, the following types of toxic substances are distinguished:

• fast-acting - Soman, Sarin, V-gas;
• slow-acting (with a latent period) - lewisite, adamsite, phosgene.

Poison Protection

Since the first use of CWA, methods of protection against it have been developed and improved. The degree of damage caused by these compounds depends on the qualifications, training and security of the person. The use of agents for combat purposes leads to death in 5–70% of cases. Among the civilian population, mortality can be much higher.

Defence from poisonous substances depends on these principles:

1. Measures for indication and detection, disinfection of the area.
2. The use of personal protective equipment - gauze bandages, gas masks, insulating breathing apparatus, rubberized suits.
3. Use of drugs for protection open areas skin - antidotes, special creams with filtering and protective properties.
4. Use of means of collective protection.

The low effectiveness of chemical weapons and the negative assessment by the world community have led to the fact that cases of use chemical warfare agents sporadic, and mainly associated with terrorist activities. However, their danger lies in the fact that a number of compounds are actively used in industry, and can get into the atmosphere due to careless handling or an accident at work.

First aid for poisoning

At the first signs of injury toxic substances the victim needs first aid. Symptoms of intoxication may vary depending on the type of particular poison. Employees of industrial enterprises using RH during their activities should be aware of the necessary measures in the event of an emergency, equipped with protective equipment and appropriate medications.

Severe forms of intoxication chemical warfare agents, as a rule, are fatal, so it is impossible to help the victims in this case. Pre-hospital care for mild and moderate damage to OS is carried out according to the following algorithm:

1. Put on a gas mask on the victim or replace the damaged personal protective equipment with a serviceable one. If the victim is in the zone of direct action of the agent, pre-treat the skin of the face with a liquid from an individual chemical package.
2. In case of damage to the respiratory organs by a suffocating BOW - ensure the immobility of the victims; in the cold season - warm. Doing artificial respiration is prohibited - this will lead to intoxication of the one who provides assistance.
3. Upon contact with general poisonous agents, crush the ampoule with an antidote, put it inside the gas mask. In case of suffocation, give artificial respiration.
4. If nerve gas poisoning has occurred, it is necessary to put on a gas mask on the victim, inject an antidote from the first-aid kit subcutaneously or intramuscularly. Treat the skin with an additional chemical package solution.
5. If a person has got into the zone of action of psychochemical, blistering or irritating agents, it is necessary to wash the skin and mucous membranes with soapy water, clean the clothes with a brush.

After first aid is rendered, immediate evacuation of the victims from the zone of action of the agents is necessary.

Poisonous substances (OS) are poisonous chemical compounds intended to injure people.

Poisonous substances are among the means of mass destruction. As a military weapon, OVs have been known since ancient times. They were widely used during the First World War, causing significant losses among the personnel of the warring armies. In 1925, at the initiative of the League of Nations, an agreement was drawn up in Geneva banning the use of chemical weapons. However, some countries (including the United States) have not ratified this treaty.

OV has been continuously improved. During the Second World War, the Germans obtained the most effective organic phosphorus agents (OPS) of the tabun type. There are other OVs in foreign armies.

The means of application of agents are artillery shells, rockets and mines, aerial bombs mounted on aircraft, pouring devices and special devices for the formation of aerosols (generators, checkers). Gaseous and aerosol agents infect the air, while droplet agents infect an area of ​​tens and hundreds of square kilometers. The chemical cloud, while maintaining the effective concentration of organic matter, can move in the direction of the wind over long distances.

From a tactical point of view, poisonous substances are divided into persistent and unstable. Persistent remain active on the ground for days and hours, unstable - tens of minutes. The most common classification of OS - clinical - distinguishes the following groups of OS: 1) nerve agents (tabun, sarin, soman, phosphorylthiocholines); 2) general poisonous (hydrocyanic acid, cyanogen chloride, carbon monoxide, hydrogen arsenic, hydrogen phosphide); 3) suffocating (chlorine, phosgene, diphosgene, chloropicrin in high concentrations); 4) blistering (mustard gas, trichlorotriethylamine, lewisite, phosgenoxime); 5) lachrymal (bromobenzyl cyanide, chloracetophenone, chloropicrin in small concentrations); 6) irritating the upper respiratory tract (diphenylchlorarsine, diphenylcyanarsine, adamsite, capsaicin and its derivatives).

The foreign press discusses the combat value of new OVs. The code CS denotes an irritating agent: it causes lacrimation, irritation of the upper respiratory tract, and in high concentrations, vomiting. Psychotomimetics - agents of the lysergic acid diethylamide type - cause visual and auditory hallucinations, temporary or euphoria, persecution mania and panic mood, depersonalization and other symptoms resembling schizophrenia; duration of action - up to 12 hours.

As substances acting on crops, 2,4-D-derivatives of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid are called. These OM cause intensive growth of individual parts of the plant and its death due to a sharp violation of metabolic processes.

The stability and behavior of poisonous substances in the external environment depend on their physical and chemical properties, as well as on the meteorological and topographical conditions of the area. Of the physicochemical properties of organic matter, the most important are the melting and boiling points (which determine the aggregate state of organic matter), volatility, chemical activity in the processes of hydrolysis, oxidation and reduction, as well as resistance to detonation. Particular attention is paid to methods for creating an aerosol cloud, which makes it possible to convert low-boiling liquids and solid products into finely divided particles. In this case, they proceed from the greatest stability in the atmosphere of particles with a diameter of 10 -6 -10 -4 cm and the maximum toxic efficiency (when inhaled) of particles of 10 -5 cm, since the smaller ones are partially ejected during exhalation, while the larger ones penetrate the lungs worse. An aerosol cloud can consist not only of solid particles (smoke), but also of liquid particles - in the form of fog and the so-called drizzle, which is especially dangerous when it comes into contact with open parts of the body. The high toxicity of modern agents makes it possible to create life-threatening concentrations in an aerosol cloud that is almost invisible to the eye. The stability of the OM concentration in the air depends on meteorological factors (air temperature, wind, rain). Ravines, gorges, vegetation, land development high-rise buildings and some others contribute to the stagnation of organic matter.

Toxicological analysis of the action of agents includes determining the ways of introducing them into the body, their distribution and transformation (detoxification, interaction with enzymes) in the body and the ways of excretion. The main routes of OM entry into the body are the respiratory tract and the skin. Tear agents act on the eyes. OS can also enter the digestive tract, for example, with food and water contaminated with OS.

The strength and nature of the toxic effect of toxic substances depend primarily on the amount of OM that has entered the body. With respect to agents acting on the respiratory organs and eyes, this amount is expressed in concentrations; under the action of agents on the skin and digestive organs - doses.

The concentration of OM is their relative content in a unit volume of air; it is expressed: a) in mg RH per 1 liter of air (mg / l) or in g per cubic meter (g / m 3); b) in volumetric ratios (the volume of OM vapor is taken in the same units as the volume of contaminated air) - per 100 volume units (as a percentage), per 1000 or per 1,000,000. To convert weight concentrations into volumetric and vice versa, the following formulas are used:

where X is the weight concentration of OM in mg/l, V is the volumetric concentration of OM in cm 3 /l, M is a gram molecule. Calculations according to these formulas refer to 0° and 760 mm of pressure.

The dose of OM when acting on the skin is expressed in m per 1 cm 2 - skin (mg / cm 2) or in mg per 1 kg of body weight (mg / kg). The latter designation is also used for the action of agents per os or parenterally. When infecting the area, the density of infection in g per square meter surface (g / m 2). In addition, it is necessary to take into account the time of action of the OV, during which it accumulates in the body or the summation of its effects. Therefore, time in minutes is added to the numerical designation of concentration.

Depending on the strength and nature of the toxic effect, among the concentrations of agents, toxic (damaging) and lethal are distinguished. The latter cause death in cases of acute intoxication. In experimental practice, they are differentiated into: a) conditionally lethal, causing the death of 50% of experimental animals (SD50); b) minimally lethal, causing death in 75% of experimental animals (SD75); c) absolutely lethal, causing the death of 100% of animals (SD100). The concentrations of irritating agents (tear and irritating the upper respiratory tract) are divided into: a) minimally irritating (threshold), at which the onset of the effect of agents is observed; b) minimally intolerable, which cannot be tolerated without protective equipment.

On the practical side, in characterizing the toxic effect of an agent, attention should be paid to: a) the selectivity of the action, taking into account the various routes of entry of the toxic substance into the body and the symptoms of the lesion; b) the rate of appearance of the first signs of damage, distinguishing between fast-acting agents, when the action manifests itself in the very first minutes after contact (tear agents, FOV, hydrocyanic acid), and delayed-acting agents, when the first symptoms of damage appear after a latent period lasting hours (mustard gas) ; c) the speed of recovery, since the recovery time can be very different - from several minutes or hours (lacrimation, irritating the upper respiratory tract) to weeks and months (FOV, mustard gas).

In combat conditions, one has to deal mainly with acute forms of lesions, which are conditionally divided into mild, moderate and severe.

When diagnosing, it is important to find out from the anamnesis the time of contact with the OV, the conditions under which the lesion occurred, the external signs of the OV, the symptoms of the lesion, whether the affected person used protective equipment. The massive nature of the lesions is of particular diagnostic importance. The diagnosis is made on the basis of the victim's complaints, objective data from a clinical study and their differential analysis (see table).

Clinical and toxicological characteristics of OS

OV name	Aggregate state of OM	SD 100 (mg/l min)	Intolerable concentrations (mg/l min)	Ways of OS entry into the body and symptoms of damage
Sarin	Liquid	0.15X1		It acts by inhalation and through the skin In mild lesions - narrowing of the pupil to the diameter of a pinhead, decreased vision, chest pains In moderate lesions, bronchospasm, asthmatic breathing, bronchorrhea, increased salivation, headache join In severe lesions, convulsions, loss of consciousness, significant inhibition of blood cholinesterase, weakening of respiratory and cardiac activity
Soman	Same	0.07X1		Same
Phosphorylthiocholines	»	2-3 mg on bare skin		Same. Particularly effective through the skin
Hydrocyanic acid	Very volatile liquid	0.3x10		When inhaled, it causes dizziness, shortness of breath, blackout, vomiting. In severe cases, convulsions, loss of consciousness and rapid death from respiratory paralysis
Mustard gas	Liquid	0.07X30 0.15x10		It acts on the eyes, respiratory organs and skin in liquid and vapor form Eyes - conjunctivitis, severe blepharospasm, sharp pains Respiratory organs - inflammation in the upper respiratory tract, pseudo-membranous process throughout the respiratory tract with subsequent pneumonia Skin integuments - chemical burn of all degrees (erythematous, bullous and ulcerous forms) In large doses, a general resorptive effect is added - suppression of hematopoiesis with leukopenia and cachexia
Phosgene	Gas	3X1 0.5X10		If vapors are inhaled, death occurs from toxic pulmonary edema.
Diphosgene	Liquid	0.5X10		Same
Chloropicrin	Same	2X10		In small concentrations - tear action, in large - acts like phosgene
Bromobenzyl cyanide	»		0.0008X10	tear action
Adamsite	Solid		0.005X3	Acts in smoke form when inhaled, irritates the upper respiratory tract
CS	Same		0,001-0,005	Acts as a lachrymal and upper respiratory tract irritant. It also causes a burning sensation on the skin and vomiting.

With the help of chemical analysis, toxic substances can be detected on the clothes of the victim and in washings from the skin. A biochemical blood test detects specific changes - inhibition of cholinesterase (with FOV), the presence of carboxyhemoglobin (with CO).

In a pathoanatomical study, changes are distinguished that occurred in cases of lightning death (occurring in the period from several minutes to 1-2 hours), in the acute period (in the first 3 days), in the subacute period (from 4 to 10 days) and in the long-term period ( after 10 days). Disorders that are most specific for OS are observed in the acute period. In the differential diagnosis, it is necessary to keep in mind similar changes in some infectious diseases(ornithosis, melioidosis, influenza, measles, plague, tularemia, glanders, anthrax, brucellosis). Opening should be done with protective clothing and rubber gloves, and contaminated materials should be degassed.

Prevention is achieved by using a gas mask (see), protective clothing (see) and the use of collective protective equipment.

Treatment consists in the sequential implementation of the following activities. 1. Prevention of further intake of OM into the body. For this, a special treatment of open parts of the body is carried out (see Degassing, Sanitization) and uniforms with the help of degassers of an individual anti-chemical package (see). The affected person is put on a serviceable gas mask (ordinary or special - for head and neck injuries), removed from the contaminated atmosphere, and the stomach is washed (in case of oral injury). 2. Introduction of antidotes OV (see). There are very active antidotes against hydrocyanic acid, FOV, arsenic agents. 3. Treatment with symptomatic agents.

Urgent therapeutic measures are: special treatment of exposed parts of the body and clothing of the victim (degassing of poisonous substances), antidote therapy, gastric lavage in case of oral injury.

When prescribing the injured for evacuation (see Staged treatment), it must be remembered that the non-transportable include: a) severely affected by organophosphorus agents, b) in a life-threatening condition, c) affected by OS with pulmonary edema. See also Medical assistance (in the field), Civil defense medical service, Sanitary chemical protection.

Poisonous substances are called poisonous gases that have a toxic effect on the human body. These substances have different physico-chemical characteristics, affect the condition of people in different ways.

Most often used as chemical weapons, however, they are sometimes used for other purposes, such as the destruction of insect pests in agriculture.

Chemical warfare agents are the main component of chemical weapons and are used in combat operations to destroy enemy personnel.

Classification of toxic substances

Warfare toxic chemicals (BTCS) are classified according to various criteria: tactical and physiological.

Classification on the basis of volatility includes such types of toxic substances as unstable, persistent and poisonous-smoky. A tactical classification is also used according to the degree of action on living organisms.

On this basis, lethal, temporarily incapacitating, irritating and training gases are isolated. Another tactical classification divides poisonous substances into fast-acting and slow-acting gases.

Physiological classification divides toxic substances depending on the nature of their effects on the human body.

On this basis, the following types of poisonous gases are distinguished: nerve paralytic, blistering, gases of general poisonous action, asphyxiating gases, poisonous chemicals that irritate the respiratory tract or mucous membranes of the eyes, as well as psycho-chemical compounds.

Classification may take into account other parameters of toxic substances.

Brief description of poisonous gases

The use of poisonous substances as chemical weapons is effective remedy reduce the combat capability of the enemy army.

Being spread into the surrounding space, poison gas affects not only the personnel of combat formations, but also the civilian population.

Most gases easily overcome barriers in the form of walls of buildings and structures, penetrate into combat vehicles. It is almost impossible to resist such weapons.

Penetrating into the human body through the skin, mucous membranes, respiratory tract, esophagus, even a small amount of poisonous gas can cause serious harmful effects.

Poisonous substances have the following properties:

• the ability to spread over a wide area;
• the ability to infect all living things in the territory of distribution;
• the ability to retain toxic properties;
• duration of action.

Today, chemical weapons are almost never used, although they are in service with some countries. International agreements impose significant restrictions on the ability to use poison gases in combat operations.

Exist a large number of toxic gases. Consider the most dangerous of them.

Sarin

Sarin is one of the most dangerous war gases. This nerve agent was first synthesized before World War II. It is in a liquid state, but already at 20 degrees above zero it begins to evaporate.

People who breathe it in pairs very quickly experience severe intoxication. The poisonous gas sarin is not detectable by the senses, but the effects of inhaling it are noticeable almost immediately.

A poisoned person begins to have difficulty breathing, begins to “pour” fluid from the nose, as the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract are irritated.

Excessive salivation is also observed, nausea and vomiting begin, severe, dagger pains in the chest and abdominal cavity. The skin becomes bluish in color, cyanosis develops.

If a person inhales highly concentrated sarin, then within two minutes the poison enters the brain cells.

Involuntary muscle spasms begin, convulsive muscle contractions, the brain centers responsible for controlling bowel movements are turned off.

With a sufficiently long exposure, pulmonary edema develops, and the most important functions of the body are inhibited. The person goes into a coma and then dies.

Mustard gas

This poisonous compound was synthesized back in the 19th century, and used for combat purposes in the First World War, in 1917. The substance got its name in honor of the Belgian town, near which it was first used.

Mustard gas- These are clear liquids with a pungent smell of mustard or garlic. According to the physiological classification, mustard gas is classified as a skin blister poison.

The poisonous compound has a cumulative effect, so the first symptoms begin to appear only after a few hours.

Depending on the concentration of the substance that entered the body through the respiratory tract or skin, the effect of mustard gas manifests itself after a period of two to eight hours.

The interaction of mustard gas with the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract leads to their strong irritation. Getting on the shell of the eye, the substance leads to loss of visual function.

Mustard gas causes a severe burn of the nasal mucosa, which leads to swelling and the formation of abscesses. Getting on the skin, the toxic compound leads to the formation of blisters, and then ulcers and necrosis.

hydrogen sulfide

This chemical compound has a pronounced specific smell. That's what rotten eggs smell like. The compound is extremely toxic, entering the body in high concentrations, quickly leads to serious poisoning, affecting nervous system.

When intoxicated with hydrogen sulfide, a taste of metal appears in the mouth, convulsive muscle contractions begin, and the victim ceases to smell.

Pulmonary edema develops rapidly, vital functions of the body are inhibited. At a sufficiently high concentration of hydrogen sulfide, the poisoned person falls into a coma and dies.

Lewisite

It is the most dangerous poison gas in existence today. Dispersed in the air, it penetrates even through a suit of special chemical protection. Belongs to the group of skin-blister poisonous substances. It has a strong smell and works instantly.

Signs of lewisite poisoning appear immediately, within minutes. Upon contact with the skin, it causes severe soreness, hyperemia, inflammation, long-term healing abscesses, sores, erosion.

When Lewisite enters the respiratory tract, symptoms of intoxication appear: nausea, vomiting, headache.

The mucous membranes of the nasopharynx and bronchi are affected, which leads to severe coughing and nasal discharge. Also, those affected by this gas experience difficulty breathing, pain in the chest area, and lose the ability to speak.

Phosgene

This substance is a colorless gas with the aroma of rot, overripe hay. This gas was used as a poison combat substance during the years of the First World War. Phosgene is not dangerous for the skin, it poses a danger when a person inhales it.

If the concentration of a poisonous substance is high enough, then its entry into the lungs leads to their instantaneous edema and death due to respiratory depression.

Symptoms of phosgene damage begin to appear a few hours after the poisonous substance enters the body. First, signs of intoxication appear: nausea, general weakness, headache.

A burning sensation begins in the region of the larynx, due to the defeat of the respiratory tract, a strong dry cough begins, difficulty breathing.

Carbon monoxide

It is an extremely odorless and colorless compound that is extremely toxic to humans. Penetrating into the body through the respiratory tract, and ending up in the blood, carbon monoxide negatively affects hemoglobin molecules.

As a result, oxygen delivery to the brain is significantly reduced or completely stopped, hypoxia sets in, biochemical processes in cells.

Among the signs of carbon monoxide intoxication, a strong headache, dizziness, tachycardia, tinnitus. Also, the visual function of those who have been poisoned suffers: black dots appear before the eyes, the field of vision narrows, and diplopia can be observed.

Poisoning develops progressively, with prolonged exposure carbon monoxide a person's blood pressure drops greatly, then he loses consciousness. If you do not provide medical assistance, then such poisoning leads to death.

The basis of the damaging effect of chemical weapons is toxic substances (S), which have a physiological effect on the human body.

Unlike other military means, chemical weapons effectively destroy the enemy's manpower over a large area without destroying materiel. This is a weapon of mass destruction.

Together with the air, toxic substances penetrate into any premises, shelters, military equipment. The damaging effect persists for some time, objects and terrain become infected.

Types of poisonous substances

Poisonous substances under the shell of chemical munitions are in solid and liquid form.

At the moment of their application, when the shell is destroyed, they come into a combat state:

• vaporous (gaseous);
• aerosol (drizzle, smoke, fog);
• drip-liquid.

Poisonous substances are the main damaging factor of chemical weapons.

Characteristics of chemical weapons

Such weapons are shared:

• According to the type of physiological effects of OM on the human body.
• For tactical purposes.
• By the speed of the coming impact.
• According to the resistance of the applied OV.
• By means and methods of application.

Human exposure classification:

• OV nerve agent action. Deadly, fast-acting, persistent. They act on the central nervous system. The purpose of their use is the rapid mass incapacitation of personnel with the maximum number of deaths. Substances: sarin, soman, tabun, V-gases.
• OV skin blister action. Deadly, slow acting, persistent. They affect the body through the skin or respiratory organs. Substances: mustard gas, lewisite.
• OV of general toxic action. Deadly, fast acting, unstable. They disrupt the function of the blood to deliver oxygen to the tissues of the body. Substances: hydrocyanic acid and cyanogen chloride.
• OV suffocating action. Deadly, slow acting, unstable. The lungs are affected. Substances: phosgene and diphosgene.
• OV psychochemical action. Non-lethal. They temporarily affect the central nervous system, affect mental activity, cause temporary blindness, deafness, a sense of fear, restriction of movement. Substances: inuclidyl-3-benzilate (BZ) and lysergic acid diethylamide.
• OV irritating action (irritants). Non-lethal. They act quickly, but for a short time. Outside the infected zone, their effect stops after a few minutes. These are tear and sneezing substances that irritate the upper respiratory tract and can affect the skin. Substances: CS, CR, DM(adamsite), CN(chloroacetophenone).

Damage factors of chemical weapons

Toxins are chemical protein substances of animal, plant or microbial origin with high toxicity. Typical representatives: butulic toxin, ricin, staphylococcal entsrotoxin.

The damaging factor determined by toxodose and concentration. The zone of chemical contamination can be divided into the focus of exposure (people are massively affected there) and the zone of distribution of the infected cloud.

First use of chemical weapons

Chemist Fritz Haber was a consultant to the German War Office and is called the father of chemical weapons for his work in the development and use of chlorine and other poisonous gases. The government set the task before him - to create chemical weapons with irritating and toxic substances. It's a paradox, but Haber believed that with the help of a gas war, he would save many lives by ending the trench war.

The history of application begins on April 22, 1915, when the German military first launched a chlorine gas attack. A greenish cloud arose in front of the trenches of the French soldiers, which they watched with curiosity.

When the cloud came close, a sharp smell was felt, the soldiers stinged in the eyes and nose. The mist burned the chest, blinded, choked. The smoke moved deep into the French positions, sowing panic and death, followed by German soldiers with bandages on their faces, but they had no one to fight with.

By evening, chemists from other countries found out what kind of gas it was. It turned out that any country can produce it. Salvation from him turned out to be simple: you need to cover your mouth and nose with a bandage soaked in a solution of soda, and plain water on a bandage weakens the effect of chlorine.

After 2 days, the Germans repeated the attack, but the Allied soldiers soaked clothes and rags in puddles and applied them to their faces. Thanks to this, they survived and remained in position. When the Germans entered the battlefield, machine guns “spoke” to them.

Chemical weapons of the First World War

On May 31, 1915, the first gas attack on the Russians took place. Russian troops mistook the greenish cloud for camouflage and brought even more soldiers to the front line. Soon the trenches filled with corpses. Even the grass died from the gas.

In June 1915, they began to use a new poisonous substance - bromine. It was used in projectiles.

In December 1915 - phosgene. It smells like hay and has a lingering effect. Cheapness made it easy to use. At first they were produced in special cylinders, and by 1916 they began to make shells.

Bandages did not save from blistering gases. It penetrated through clothes and shoes, causing burns on the body. The area was poisoned for more than a week. Such was the king of gases - mustard gas.

Not only the Germans, their opponents also began to produce gas-filled shells. In one of the trenches of the First World War, Adolf Hitler was also poisoned by the British.

For the first time, Russia also used this weapon on the battlefields of the First World War.

Chemical weapons of mass destruction

Experiments with chemical weapons took place under the guise of developing poisons for insects. Used in the gas chambers of concentration camps "Cyclone B" - hydrocyanic acid - an insecticidal agent.

"Agent Orange" - a substance for deleafing vegetation. Used in Vietnam, soil poisoning caused severe diseases and mutations in the local population.

In 2013, in Syria, in the suburbs of Damascus, a chemical attack was carried out on a residential area - the lives of hundreds of civilians were claimed, including many children. A nerve agent was used, most likely Sarin.

One of modern options A chemical weapon is a binary weapon. It comes to combat readiness in the end chemical reaction after connecting two harmless components.

Victims of chemical weapons of mass destruction are all those who fell into the strike zone. Back in 1905, an international agreement was signed on the non-use of chemical weapons. To date, 196 countries around the world have signed up to the ban.

In addition to chemical to weapons of mass destruction and biological.

Types of protection

• Collective. The shelter can provide long stays for people without personal protective equipment if it is equipped with filter-ventilation kits and is well sealed.
• Individual. Gas mask, protective clothing and a personal chemical bag (PPI) with antidote and liquid to treat clothing and skin lesions.

Prohibition on use

Humanity was shocked by the terrible consequences and huge losses of people after the use of weapons of mass destruction. Therefore, in 1928, the Geneva Protocol came into force on the prohibition of the use in war of asphyxiating, poisonous or other similar gases and bacteriological agents. This protocol prohibits the use of not only chemical, but also biological weapons. In 1992, another document came into force, the Chemical Weapons Convention. This document complements the Protocol, it speaks not only of a ban on the manufacture and use, but also on the destruction of all chemical weapons. The implementation of this document is controlled by a specially created committee at the UN. But not all states signed this document, for example, it was not recognized by Egypt, Angola, North Korea, South Sudan. It also entered into legal force in Israel and Myanmar.

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 on long time infect the area and objects - (sarin, soman, vigases, 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 damaging effect, the estimated number of sanitary losses, the probable period of death of people due to 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.