J R Army Med Corps 2002; 148: 371-381 J R Army Med Corps: first published as 10.1136/jramc-148-04-06 on 1 December 2002. Downloaded from Toxic Industrial Chemicals Introduction location to another. Depending on the The first chemical warfare agent of the available routes of movement, and quantity modern era, chlorine, was released with of chemical to be moved, transport can occur devastating effect on 22 April 1915 at Ypres, by truck or rail tank cars, over water by barge Belgium. Along a 4 mile front, German or boat, over land through above- or below- soldiers opened the valves of 1,600 large and ground pipelines and by air. 4,130 small cylinders containing 168 tons of Toxic chemicals may be produced by the chlorine.The gas formed a thick white cloud burning of materials (e.g., the burning of that crossed the first allied trenches in less Teflon produces perfluoroisobutylene) or by than a minute.The allied line broke, allowing their reaction if spilled into water (e.g. silanes the Germans to advance deep into allied produce hydrogen chloride and cyanides, territory. If the Germans had been fully hydrogen cyanide). prepared to exploit this breakthrough, the course and possibly the outcome of WWI Toxic Industrial Chemicals may have been very different. (TICs) Chlorine is a commodity industrial A Toxic Industrial Chemical (TIC) is defined chemical with hundreds of legitimate uses; it as: is not a "purpose designed" chemical warfare an industrial chemical which has a LCt50 agent. Phosgene, another commodity value of less than 100,000 mg.min/m3 in industrial chemical, accounted for 80% of any mammalian species and is produced in the chemical fatalities during WWI. Other quantities exceeding 30 tonnes per year at industrial chemicals, most notably hydrogen one production facility. cyanide and cyanogen chloride, were also used during WWI. More recently, both sides This definition differentiates TICs from in the Bosnian civil war threatened to use highly toxic speciality chemicals which are chlorine as a "weapon of opportunity". produced in very limited volumes. However, Industrial chemicals include chlorine, there are still thousands of potential TICs. In http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/ ammonia, phosgene, hydrogen cyanide, many operational situations, the number of acids, solvents, pesticides, herbicides, potential TICs can be further reduced by fertilisers, fuels, petrochemicals, and considering only those compounds that intermediates used in the manufacture of produced an acute inhalation effect. plastics. Industrial chemicals are legitimate However, effects from chronic exposures and articles of commerce which are traded in the effects of percutaneous exposure should very large volumes and are not subjected to not be ignored. the same regulations or export controls as chemical warfare agents. Industrial Toxic Industrial Chemicals and chemicals are available in bulk quantities Military Missions on September 30, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. during production, in storage prior to use or NATO forces are deployed in a variety of shipment, or during their transport from one military missions including (Figure 23): Fig 23. Industrial chemical releases could impact on these missions. 372 J R Army Med Corps: first published as 10.1136/jramc-148-04-06 on 1 December 2002. Downloaded from Fig 24. Bhopal, India.The release of methyl isocyanate on 3rd December 1984 led to the deaths of approximately 3800 people. - War/Armed Conflict. standard construction codes were followed. - Peace-keeping. In Operations Other Than War (OOTW), - Peace-making (Enforcement). the commander may be expected to obey - Humanitarian and Civic Assistance. civilian health and safety standards when - Disaster Relief. dealing with TICs. - Counter-proliferation. - Counter-terrorism. Ranking of Toxic Industrial Chemicals TICs were the original CW agents and The TICs of greatest concern are those were very successfully used during WWI. which pose an acute inhalation hazard. For a Consequently, TICs are still attractive as given TIC to present a hazard in a given improvised chemical weapons fills and have military situation, the TIC must be present in potential for inclusion in clandestine sufficient quantity in the area of concern, weapons programs or contingency plans. must exhibit sufficient toxicity by inhalation During military operations TICs could be and must normally exist in a state which http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/ released from industrial plants or storage could give rise to an inhalation hazard. depots through battle damage, as A general hazard ranking for TICs can be consequence of a strike against a particular developed by estimating the: facility, or deliberately as a desperation measure. TICs are particularly attractive to - probability that a given TIC would be terrorists because of their ready availability. present in an area of concern by The release of TICs through industrial considering the geographical distribution accidents is common in lesser developed of countries producing the TIC, the countries (Figure 24). number of countries producing it and the The safety, environmental, maintenance number of producers. and transportation standards for industrial - potential inhalation hazard as determined on September 30, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. sites, manufacturing facilities and shipping by the vapour pressure of the TIC - the containers are usually substantially less higher the vapour pressure the greater the stringent than in NATO countries. In these potential inhalation hazard. areas, common causes of industrial accidents - the toxicity of the TIC to humans as are human error, poorly maintained measured by an appropriate toxicity equipment, and deteriorating facilities. parameter (e.g., Immediately Dangerous Natural causes such as earthquakes and to the Life and Heath (IDLH) value). atmospheric phenomena can also cause A Hazard Index (HI) is the product of four accidental releases, especially where sub- factors and used to rank TICs. Table 6.Hazard Index Parameters. Distribution No. of Producers Toxicity State (NP) (IDLH in ppm) (VP in torr) Continents >5 5 NP >100 5 IDLH<1 5 Gas 5 Continents = 4 4 50<NP<99 4 1<IDLH<10 4 Liquid:VP>400 4 Continents = 3 3 25<NP<49 3 11<IDLH<100 3 Liquid: 100<VP<400 3 Continents = 2 2 5<NP<24 2 101<IDLH<500 2 Liquid: 10<VP<100 2 Continents = 1 1 NP<5 1 IDLH>500 1 Liquid : vp<10 1 373 J R Army Med Corps: first published as 10.1136/jramc-148-04-06 on 1 December 2002. Downloaded from Table 7.Characteristics of Toxic Industrial Chemicals of Greatest Concern (in order of Hazard Index). Chemical Appearance Odour IDLH Hazard Specific (ppm) Index Treatment Chlorine (Cl2) greenish-yellow gas; strong swimming-pool 10 500 no nonflammable Ammonia (NH3) colourless gas; pungent 300 375 no nonflammable Formaldehyde colourless gas; pungent, suffocating 20 375 no (CH2O) combustible Ethylene Oxide colourless gas; ether-like 800 300 no (C2H4O) flammable Sulfur Dioxide colourless gas; irritating, pungent 100 300 no (SO2) nonflammable Phosgene (COCl2) colourless gas; suffocating, musty hay 2 240 no noncombustible Hydrogen Fluoride colourless gas or strong irritating 30 225 no (HF) fuming liquid Arsine (AsH3) colourless gas; mild, garlic 3 160 no flammable Nitric Acid colourless, yellow acrid, suffocating 25 160 no (HNO3) or red fuming liquid Boron Trichloride colourless gas hydrochloric acid-like ND <150 no (BCl3) Phosphorus colourless to yellow hydrochloric acid-like 25 144 no Trichloride (PCl3) fuming liquid Hydrogen Cyanide colourless-pale blue bitter, almond 50 135 yes (HCN) gas or liquid; flammable Fluorine (F2) pale yellow-greenish gas; nonflammable pungent, irritating 25 120 no Hydrogen Sulfide colourless gas; (H2S) flammable rotten eggs 100 120 no Sulfuric Acid colourless to dark odourless 4 100 no (H2SO4) brown oily liquid Boron Trifluoride colourless gas; pungent, suffocating 25 90 no (BF3) nonflammable Diborane (B2H6) colourless gas; repulsive, sweet 15 90 no http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/ flammable Hydrogen Bromide colourless gas; (HBr) nonflammable sharp, irritating 30 90 no Hydrogen Chloride colourless-light yellow (HCl) gas; nonflammable pungent, irritating 50 90 no HI = (toxicity)x(state)x(distribution)x through the area of operation and will (producers) = maximum value of 625. consider not only the final products but all This approach with the ranking factors precursors and intermediates and given in Table 6 allows the TICs of highest combustion products. on September 30, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. concern to be identified. TICs of Highest Concern and their properties are in Table 7. Antiplant Agents Once the TICs of Highest Concern have Antiplant agents are industrial chemicals been identified, their civilian sector Toxicity used to destroy the enemy’s food supply and Levels and Protection Levels can be obtained deny him concealment by foliage or from standard HAZMAT references. The vegetation. Antiplant chemicals can be TICs of Highest Concern are the bulk classified as herbicides, defoliants and commodity chemicals: chlorine and growth suppressants or inhibitors. ammonia. Chlorine, the original CW agent Herbicides kill or inhibit the growth of which was extensively used in World War I, is plants. They are divided into two main now of great concern as an improvised groups: munition fill and weapon of opportunity in OOTW and terrorist situations. 1.Selective herbicides kill only certain plant Although the approach outlined above species and have little or no effect on allows the identification