Castulo Olivas Alex Avila Chemical warfare Castulo Olivas Alex Avila

Outline What is a chemical weapon? The first chemical weapons Modern chemical weapons Effects of chemical weapons on humans Effects of chemical weapons on the environment Modern methods of chemical weapon destruction Should we continue to use chemical weapons? Summary The solution

What is a chemical weapon? chemical substances that can be delivered using munitions and dispersal devices to cause death or severe harm to people and animals and plants Chemical weapons are classified as weapons of mass destruction

First chemical weapons The first chemical weapons were poison tipped arrows used in southern Africa during the stone ages. In the 17th century during sieges, armies attempted to start fires by launching incendiary shells filled with sulphur, tallow, rosin, turpentine, saltpeter, and/or antimony On April 22, 1915, Germans used chlorine gas to kill French troops Germany also used mustard gas in WWI During the Rif War combined Spanish and French forces dropped mustard gas bombs in an attempt to put down the Berber rebellion. During the Ethiopian invasion, Italy dropped mustard gas from bombs, sprayed it from airplanes, and spread it in powdered form on the ground. Mustard Gas Bomb

Modern Chemical Weapons Mustard gas An oily, volatile liquid that is corrosive to the skin and mucous membranes and causes severe, sometimes fatal respiratory damage. It was introduced in World War I as a chemical warfare agent. Yellow Rain A powdery, poisonous, yellow substance reported as dropping from the air in southeast Asia and found to be the excrement of wild honeybees contaminated by a fungal toxin. Anthrax Bacillus anthracis is the scientific name for anthrax. Anthrax powder was used in bioterrorism attacks when it was put into letters and caused the death of several postage workers.

Effects of Chemical Weapons on humans Effects of lewisite Chemicals that Blister: Sulphur mustard Lewisite Nitrogen mustard Mustard-lewisite Phosgene-oxime Chemicals that affect the nerves: VX Sarin Soman Tabun Novichole agents Chemicals that cause choking: chlorine Phosgene Agent: VX Type: Nerve agent Symptoms: Breathing problems, muscle spasm, unconsciousness. Outcome: Possibly death. Status: May have been used against Iran in 1988. Iraq claims it produced 3.9 tons. Source: International Institute for Strategic Studies

Effects of chemical weapons on the environment persistent agents tend to remain in the environment for as long as a week, complicating decontamination Non-volatile liquid agents, such as blister agents and the oily VX nerve agent, do not easily evaporate into a gas, and therefore present primarily a contact hazard Buried munitions pose problems environmentally. Once the munitions begin to corrode and leak, the agents can contaminate the surrounding soil and even get into water sources. Sea dumping of chemical munitions is another method of disposal that has caused a number of problems. Some of these dumping operations have occurred in shallow water in the Baltic Sea and off the coast of Japan. In both of these places, dumped chemical weapons caused serious problems for the fishing industry.

Modern methods of chemical weapon destruction There are two common methods for destroying chemical weapons, incineration and chemical degradation. However, there are dozens of alternative technologies, and the number is growing. Under the Baseline incineration process, chemical weapons are first taken to the demilitarization facility, where the chemical agent is removed from the munitions or containers by automated equipment. Chemical degradation (or chemical neutralization) technologies take many different forms. There are a number of chemicals, like alkalis and oxidants, which reduce and often negate the toxicity of chemical agents.

Should we continue to use chemical weapons? NO We should not continue to use some chemical weapons. Chemicals are too cruel because they usually cause extreme pain or irritation , along with other side effects. Blister agents should not be used because they cause extreme suffering in victims also. Some chemicals cause you to die of asphyxiation. These chemicals should also not be used. All chemical weapons are very dangerous and can affect the environment and even kill animals that get in the crossfire in a war.

Summary Chemical weapons have been used ever since spears and arrows were invented. Now, the weapons are much more advanced and deadly. There are many different types of chemical weapons and they all have their own unique way of making a victim suffer. We should no longer use chemical weapons because they are harsh and persistent chemicals can effect the environment and animals.

The solution The only solution is to not have war. The main reason we have chemical weapons is because we need them for war. If we didn’t have war we would have no need for chemical weapon development.