Page 70 - Sayuru 40 full set
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68 Sayurusara 2019 December
b. The malicious, but non-politically iii. A lethal agent causes death for those
motivated poisoning of one or more exposed.
individuals. Another form of classifying chemical agents is
based on their effects on the body,
c. terrorist acts that involve serious I. Nerve agents gain access to the body
violence to persons or property for a political, usually through the skin or lungs, and cause
religious purpose or that are a matter of systemic effects.
national interest. II. Respiratory agents are inhaled and
either cause damage to the lungs, or are absorbed
ii. CBRN incidents may include all or there and cause systemic effects.
some of the following characteristics: iii. Blister agents are absorbed through
the skin, either damaging it (e.g., mustard gas)
a. Potential for mass casualties or gaining access to the body to cause systemic
b. Potential for loss of life effects (e.g. nerve agents), or both.
c. Potential for long term effects
d. Creation of an extremely hazardous Chemical agents are often grouped according to
environment their effect on the body, based on the primary organ
e. Relative ease and cheapness of system affected by exposure. Typical classes include:
production
f. Initial ambiguity and/or delay in i. Nerve agents or “gases” (e.g., sarin, VX,
determining the type of material involved VR)
g. Potential use of a combination of CBRN ii. Blood gases or systemic agents (e.g.,
materials each presenting different response hydrogen cyanide)
requirements iii. Vesicants or skin blistering agents (e.g.,
mustard gas, lewisite)
3. What are Chemical weapons? iv. Lung irritants, asphyxiants or choking
agents (e.g., chlorine, phosgene).
Chemical weapons are those that are
effective because of their toxicity, that is, their 4. What are Biological weapons?
chemical action can cause death, permanent harm or
temporary incapacity. Weapons that use chemicals as Biological weapons are weapons that
propellants, explosives, incendiaries or obscurants achieve their intended effects by infecting people
are not chemical weapons, even though the with disease-causing microorganisms and other
chemicals in them may also have toxic effects. Only replicative entities, including viruses, infectious
weapons whose main goal is to have toxic effects are nucleic acids and prions. The chief characteristic of
considered chemical weapons. Some toxic chemicals, biological agents is their ability to multiply in a host
such as phosgene, hydrogen cyanide and tear gas, over time. The disease they may cause is the result
may be used for both civil and peaceful, and hostile of the interaction between the biological agent,
purposes. When they are used for hostile purposes, the host (including the host’s genetic constitution,
they are considered chemical weapons. nutritional status and the immunological status of
the host’s population) and the environment (e.g.
A common way to classify chemical agents sanitation, temperature, water quality, population
is according to the degree of effect (e.g., density).
harassing, incapacitating or lethal).
i. A harassing agent disables exposed Biological agents are commonly classified
people for as long as they remain exposed. according to their taxonomy (e.g., fungi, bacteria,
They are acutely aware of discomfort, but viruses).
usually able to remove themselves from
exposure to it unless they are otherwise This classification is important because
constrained. They usually recover fully a of its implications for detection, identification,
short time after exposure ends, and do not prophylaxis and treatment.
require medical treatment. Biological agents can also be characterized by other
ii. An incapacitating agent also features, such as infectivity, virulence, lethality,
disables, but people exposed to it may not pathogenicity, incubation period, contagiousness
be aware of their predicament (e.g., certain and mechanisms of transmission, and stability.
psychotropic agents), or may be unable to
function or move away from the exposed
environment. The effect may be prolonged,
but recovery may not require specialized
medical aid.
b. The malicious, but non-politically iii. A lethal agent causes death for those
motivated poisoning of one or more exposed.
individuals. Another form of classifying chemical agents is
based on their effects on the body,
c. terrorist acts that involve serious I. Nerve agents gain access to the body
violence to persons or property for a political, usually through the skin or lungs, and cause
religious purpose or that are a matter of systemic effects.
national interest. II. Respiratory agents are inhaled and
either cause damage to the lungs, or are absorbed
ii. CBRN incidents may include all or there and cause systemic effects.
some of the following characteristics: iii. Blister agents are absorbed through
the skin, either damaging it (e.g., mustard gas)
a. Potential for mass casualties or gaining access to the body to cause systemic
b. Potential for loss of life effects (e.g. nerve agents), or both.
c. Potential for long term effects
d. Creation of an extremely hazardous Chemical agents are often grouped according to
environment their effect on the body, based on the primary organ
e. Relative ease and cheapness of system affected by exposure. Typical classes include:
production
f. Initial ambiguity and/or delay in i. Nerve agents or “gases” (e.g., sarin, VX,
determining the type of material involved VR)
g. Potential use of a combination of CBRN ii. Blood gases or systemic agents (e.g.,
materials each presenting different response hydrogen cyanide)
requirements iii. Vesicants or skin blistering agents (e.g.,
mustard gas, lewisite)
3. What are Chemical weapons? iv. Lung irritants, asphyxiants or choking
agents (e.g., chlorine, phosgene).
Chemical weapons are those that are
effective because of their toxicity, that is, their 4. What are Biological weapons?
chemical action can cause death, permanent harm or
temporary incapacity. Weapons that use chemicals as Biological weapons are weapons that
propellants, explosives, incendiaries or obscurants achieve their intended effects by infecting people
are not chemical weapons, even though the with disease-causing microorganisms and other
chemicals in them may also have toxic effects. Only replicative entities, including viruses, infectious
weapons whose main goal is to have toxic effects are nucleic acids and prions. The chief characteristic of
considered chemical weapons. Some toxic chemicals, biological agents is their ability to multiply in a host
such as phosgene, hydrogen cyanide and tear gas, over time. The disease they may cause is the result
may be used for both civil and peaceful, and hostile of the interaction between the biological agent,
purposes. When they are used for hostile purposes, the host (including the host’s genetic constitution,
they are considered chemical weapons. nutritional status and the immunological status of
the host’s population) and the environment (e.g.
A common way to classify chemical agents sanitation, temperature, water quality, population
is according to the degree of effect (e.g., density).
harassing, incapacitating or lethal).
i. A harassing agent disables exposed Biological agents are commonly classified
people for as long as they remain exposed. according to their taxonomy (e.g., fungi, bacteria,
They are acutely aware of discomfort, but viruses).
usually able to remove themselves from
exposure to it unless they are otherwise This classification is important because
constrained. They usually recover fully a of its implications for detection, identification,
short time after exposure ends, and do not prophylaxis and treatment.
require medical treatment. Biological agents can also be characterized by other
ii. An incapacitating agent also features, such as infectivity, virulence, lethality,
disables, but people exposed to it may not pathogenicity, incubation period, contagiousness
be aware of their predicament (e.g., certain and mechanisms of transmission, and stability.
psychotropic agents), or may be unable to
function or move away from the exposed
environment. The effect may be prolonged,
but recovery may not require specialized
medical aid.
