Chemical Weapons

Details

• Personal Author:
  Kales SN ; Lee EC
• Description:
  Chemical warfare has existed for thousands of years. The Chinese used arsenical smoke as a weapon as early as 1000 B.C.E. In the 20th century, chemical agents were used against military and civilian targets on numerous occasions. The world still remains vulnerable to the deliberate use of chemical weapons. To better appreciate the public health threats posed by chemical agents, a basic understanding of their properties is helpful. The Basics of Chemical Agents: chemical agents are compounds designed to kill or disable people through toxic or poisonous mechanisms. They are relatively simple to make and use. Their effects are often dramatic and immediate. Both combatant and non-combatant populations can be the target of these weapons. Environmentally persistent chemical agents can also be used to deny terrain or to contaminate food and water. Like nuclear and biological weapons, chemical weapons have psychological, political, operational, and strategic impacts. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aerosols Chemistry Environmental Exposure Environmental Pollution Hazardous Substances Occupational Health Poisoning Public Health Safety Solvents Staff Development

  More +
• Keywords:
  Biological Agents Chemical Agents Chemical Hazards Chemical Properties Chemicals Chemical Warfare Agents Environmental Contamination Environmental Exposure Poisons Public Health Sarin Toxic Effects Toxins Training Vapors

  More +
• ISBN:
  9780195311181
• Publisher:
  Oxford University Press, Inc.
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Book
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  117-134
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20060472
• Citation:
  War and public health, second edition. Levy BS, Sidel VW eds. New York: Oxford Univerrsity Press, Inc., 2008 Jan; :117-134
• Editor(s):
  Levy BS; Sidel VW
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2008
• Performing Organization:
  Harvard School of Public Health
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  War and public health, second edition
• End Date:
  20280630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:1815c1266681ccb607d23a5e8b9a70158cc128a278a4342e3938130b90130e0bc7c30b33d2cc4e10f90f199f64791bda6e34ed4233b3a5c35a85be06d96b199e
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/224349/cdc_224349_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.75 MB ]