Blister Agents: Sulfur Mustard Agent H or HD and Sulfur Mustard

0,09

MB

Agent HT

26

stron

3855

ID

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

2003

rok

Sulfur mustards are vesicants and alkylating agents. They are colorless when pure but are typically

a yellow to brown oily substance with a slight garlic or mustard odor. H contains about 20 to 30%

impurities (mostly sulfur); distilled mustard is known as HD and is nearly pure; HT is a mixture of

60% HD and 40% agent T (a closely related vesicant with a lower freezing point). Sulfur mustards

evaporate slowly. They are very sparingly soluble in water but are soluble in oils, fats, and organic

solvents. They are stable at ambient temperatures but decompose at temperatures greater than

149°C.