What are the symptoms of mustard gas?
Main clinical symptoms
- Eyes: gritty feeling, progressive soreness and bloodshot appearance, lachrymation, blepharospasm and photophobia.
- Increased nasal secretion, sneezing.
- Sore throat, coughing, hoarseness and dyspnoea.
- Lung oedema occurs when severe exposure or within next 12–24 hours.
How long does mustard gas last?
Sulfur mustard can last from 1 to 2 days in the environment under average weather conditions and from weeks to months under very cold conditions. Sulfur mustard breaks down slowly in the body, so repeated exposure may have a cumulative effect (that is, it can build up in the body).
How do you neutralize mustard gas?
The vesicant property of mustard agent can be neutralized by oxidation or chlorination, using household bleach (sodium hypochlorite), or by nucleophilic attack using e.g. decontamination solution “DS2” (2% NaOH, 70% diethylenetriamine, 28% 2-methoxyethanol).
Why was mustard gas banned?
At the dawn of the 20th century, the world’s military powers worried that future wars would be decided by chemistry as much as artillery, so they signed a pact at the Hague Convention of 1899 to ban the use of poison-laden projectiles “the sole object of which is the diffusion of asphyxiating or deleterious gases.”
What are the effects of long term exposure to mustard gas?
In the long term the risk of developing cancer after a single exposure is likely. Exposure to mustard gas in the long term can also result in mortality from influenza, pneumonia and chronic breathing disease. exposure due to respiratory complications and septic shock.
What are the signs of sulfur poisoning?
RESPIRATORY: runny nose, sneezing, hoarseness, bloody nose, sinus pain, shortness of breath, and cough (12 to 24 hours after a mild exposure; within 2 to 4 hours of a severe exposure).
What are the toxicity symptoms of sulfur?
Sulfur is low in toxicity to people. However, ingesting too much sulfur may cause a burning sensation or diarrhea. Breathing in sulfur dust can irritate the airways or cause coughing. It can also be irritating to the skin and eyes.
Does bleach and ammonia make mustard gas?
Phosgene gas, also known as mustard gas because of its color, is one of the most dangerous byproducts of bleach. It occurs when bleach comes into contact with ammonia.
What are side effects of mustard gas exposure?
* Mustard Gas can cause severe skin burns and blisters. * Breathing Mustard Gas can irritate the lungs causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher exposures can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), a medical emergency, with severe shortness of breath.