chemical terrorism

what constitutes a chemical agent?

• any compound that is isolated, synthesized, and/or modified to inflict sickness, death, damage

• exposure does not involve a living organism or virus (biological), but could come from one

toxicity

how many molecules it takes to kill you

accessibility

the ease with which a chemical agent can be obtained or used by individuals or groups.

mustard gas/ blistering agents

mustard gas and blistering agents'; notably used on large scale during WWI europe

• environmental persistence

• multiple physical states, adsorb to food, other substances

• difficult to treat (but typically not lethal)

• psychological effects

• hard to get and low toxicity

botulism toxin

• derived from clostridium botulinum

• 0.000001 g enough to kill human, 1g toxin enough to kill an entire city

• two-chain polypeptide, inhibits acetylcholine, release, causes paralysis

• hard to get and high toxicity

Vx, Sarin

• organophosphates originally developed as pesticides, quickly developed into chemical weapons prior to WWII and after

• colorless, odorless, water-soluble, liquid or vapor

• nerve agent, blocks enzyme activity that regulates muscle contraction

• only few milligrams can be lethal, evaporates easily

• sarin or Vx synthesis fairly sophisticated, requires expertise, resources, and facilities

• high toxicity and not easy to access

ricin toxin

ricin toxin is a protein derived from seeds of a castor bean, lethal dose about 5-10 micrograms/kg body weight (varies with exposure route) death often within 72 hours if not diagnosed. high toxicity easy to access. ricin purification recipes are also easily accessible

low toxicity and easy to access agents

cuastics/acids

poison ivy, oleander, other extracts