Toxic substances are themselves toxic chemical compounds that serve to defeat the living forces of the enemy during the war.They have a number of physical and chemical properties, so that in a situation of hostilities may be in liquid, aerosol or vapor phase and are the basis of chemical weapons (weapon of mass destruction).RH penetrate the various open areas, shelters or structures and affect living organisms that are there, keeping its effect for a certain period of time after use.
warfare agents penetrate into the human body in several ways: through the skin, respiratory or digestive system, mucous membranes.The degree and nature of the injury depend on the pathways in the body, the velocity distributions thereon and removing therefrom, and the mode of action of toxic substances and individual features of the human body.
To date, there is no specific classification of these substances.The greatest importance are:
1. Physiological classification (by the action of the body).These include unstable toxic substances, persistent and poisonous smoky agents.
a) non-persistent agents - can infect the atmosphere, they form a vapor cloud, which extends in the direction of the wind and quickly dissipates.
b) persistent OB - liquid substances, creating a cloud that contaminated spray.Some chemicals deposited in the form of dew on the surrounding area.
c) smoky OM - are used in a variety of fumes and consist of solids.
2. Tactical Classification (for behavior on the ground).These include poisons lethal, incapacitating for a certain time period and irritating agents.
a) lethal - are used for the elimination of living organisms.
b) incapacitating - serve to create a mental disorder in humans.
c) irritants - people are used to exhaustion.
also by the nature of the impact on the human organism is isolated:
1. nerve agent (sarin, VX, soman) - contain phosphorus, so much toxic.They have the ability to accumulate and affect the nervous system in any method of entry.This colorless liquid, odorless, are readily soluble in solvents of natural, but less than all in water.
2. Poisonous OB (phosphine, arsine, hydrogen cyanide) - violate the tissue respiration, stopping its oxidation processes.These substances enter the body through the respiratory and digestive tract.
3. asphyxiant (chloropicrin, phosgene and diphosgene) - affect lung tissue and the upper respiratory tract by inhalation causing pulmonary edema, asphyxiation, and death.
4. Annoying toxic substances (CS, CR gas, chloroacetophenone) - contributes to the irritation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory system and eyes.It used in the form of aerosols, causing burns, respiratory paralysis, cardiac arrest and death.
5. blister OB (lewisite, mustard gas) - enters the body through the skin and mucous membranes, causing poisoning and ulcers in contact with the skin.
6. psychogenic substances (OB, BZ) - cause psychosis and physical disorders by interrupting the transmission of neuromuscular impulses.
7. toxins (botulinum, staphylococcal enteroksin) - cause paralysis of the central nervous system, vomiting, poisoning the body.
thus explored to date almost all kinds of toxic substances.All of them are capable of infecting the human body, causing his poisoning.For timely protection is important to quickly detect OB, set the type and concentration.Only then can we achieve good results in the provision of medical aid to victims during the war.
