Hazards of Chemical Weapons Release during War: New

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Perspectives

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U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center

2005

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The two major threat classes of chemical weapons are mustard gas and the nerve agents, and this

has not changed in over 50 years. Both types are commonly called gases, but they are actually

liquids that are not remarkably volatile. These agents were designed specifically to harm people by

any route of exposure and to be effective at low doses. Mustard gas was used in World War I, and

the nerve agents were developed shortly before, during, and after World War II. Our perception of

the potency of chemical weapons has changed, as well as our concern over potential effects of

prolonged exposures to low doses and potential target populations that include women and children.

Many of the toxicologic studies and human toxicity estimates for both mustard and nerve agents

were designed for the purpose of quickly developing maximal casualties in the least sensitive male

soldier. The “toxicity” of the chemical weapons has not changed, but our perception of

“toxicity” has.