Abstract:
We previously published a book on chemical warfare agents (Academic Press) in
1992. Since then, we have acquired considerable additional knowledge in this area.
It is time to update our previous work, with particular emphasis on the low-level
toxicology of chemical warfare (CW) agents. Chemical warfare agents are chemicals
that have immediate, direct toxic effects on humans, animals, and plants and possible
long-term, adverse effects on human health. Chlorine, phosgene, and mustard were
CW agents used in World War I and in lesser conflicts thereafter. There was putative
extensive use of CW agents in the Sino-Japanese War. Although CW agents were not
used during World War II, much research was done in the development of toxicologic
information and protective materials. However, mustard gas, defoliant, and nerve
gases were used in localized wars in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Chemical warfare
agents are primarily categorized as lethal and incapacitating agents. These agents also
possess the attractive quality of being easy and inexpensive to synthesize on a large
scale. A reasonable chemical-industrial set-up can be diverted to produce CW agents.
Chemical warfare agents are particularly horrifying because their toxic effects are
indiscriminate and thus affect not only military personnel but also the civilian population as a whole. Chemical
warfare agents are becoming a major force in some of
the
militant
developing countries.
This is due to the
fact that these agents can
provide
a
substantial psychological edge to the military establishments of otherwise
weak
nations.
Although acute toxicity and
high-level dose toxicity were discussed in
our
previous
volume,
various review committees have suggested that there were data
gaps in our information about the low-level toxicity of CW agents. The Gulf War of
1991 has raised our awareness of these gaps. Epidemiologic studies have indicated
that more than 120,000 Gulf War veterans are suffering from many unexplained illnesses and are seeking medical care.
Among the
putative
explanations for these
illnesses include
exposure to
nerve agents or pretreatment drugs.
Many United
States
and British troops were
given
pyridostigmine bromide as a pretreatment drug
during
2 weeks of air and ground
war to protect against the possible
exposure to
nerve
gas.
One of the notable
nerve gases suspected to be present during the Gulf
War
was
sarin.
During
war-time
conditions,
military personnel were under physical stress; some
have argued for evidence of exposure to a low level of sarin. The toxicity of CW
agents at low levels is a very special feature of this book. Certain factors such as
stress, surroundings, and other chemical agents can interact with the toxicity of CW
agents, and some of these interactions are described in this book.