Nerve agents (cholinesterase inhibitors; see text and Organophosphorus and Carbamate Insecticides) |
Tabun (GA) | Colorless to brown liquid with fairly fruity odor | 0.07 mm Hg 610 mg/m3 Low volatility | 1–1.5 d | LC50 400 mg-min/m3 LD50 skin 1 g | Rapid onset; aging half-time 13–14 h. |
Sarin (GB) | Colorless, odorless liquid | 2.9 mm Hg 22,000 mg/m3 Highly volatile | 2–24 h | LC50 100 mg-min/m3 LD50 skin 1.7 g | Rapid onset; aging half-time 3–5 h. |
Soman (GD) | Colorless liquid with fruity or camphor odor | 0.4 mm Hg 3, 060 mg/m3 Moderately volatile | Relatively persistent | LC50 50 mg-min/m3 LD50 skin 350 mg | Rapid onset; aging half-time 2–6 min. |
VX | Colorless to straw-colored odorless liquid | 0.0007 mm Hg 10.5 mg/m3 Very low volatility | 2–6 d | LC50 10 mg-min/m3 LD50 skin 10 mg | Rapid onset; aging half-time 48 h. |
Vesicants |
Sulfur mustard (HD) | Pale yellow to dark brown liquid | 0.011 mm Hg 600 mg/m3 Low volatility | 2 wk-3 y | LC50 1, 500 mg-min/m3 LD50 100 mg/kg | Pain onset hours after exposure; fluid-filled blisters. |
Phosgene oxime (CX) | Colorless crystalline solid or liquid with intensely irritating odor | 11.2 mm Hg 1, 800 mg/m3 Moderately volatile | 2 h | LC50 3, 200 mg-min/m3 LD50 unknown | Immediate pain, tissue damage within seconds; solid wheal formation. |
Lewisite (L) | Colorless to amber or brown oily liquid with geranium odor | 0.58 mm Hg 4, 480 mg/m3 Volatile | Days | LC50 1, 200 mg-min/m3 LD50 40.50 mg/kg | Immediate pain, tissue damage in seconds to minutes; fluid-filled blisters. |
Riot control agents (lacrimators) |
CS (chloroben-zylidene malonitrile) | White crystalline powder with pungent pepper odor | 0.00034 mm Hg 0.71 mg/m3 Very low volatility | Variable | LC50 60,000 mg-min/m3 Incapacitating dose: IC50 3–5 mg-min/m3 | Rapidly severe eye pain and blepharospasm; skin tingling or burning sensation; duration 30–60 min after removal from exposure. |
CN (mace, chloroace-tophenone) | Solid or powder with fragrant apple blossom odor | 0.0054 mm Hg 34.3 mg/m3 Low volatility | Short | LC50 7–14,000 mg-min/m3 Incapacitating dose: IC50 20–40 mg-min/m3 | |
DM (diphenylamine arsine) | Yellow-green odorless crystalline substance | 4.5 × 10–11 mm Hg Insignificant Virtually nonvolatile | Persistent | LC50 11–35,000 mg-min/m3 Incapacitating dose: IC50 22–150 mg-min/m3 Nausea and vomiting: 370 mg-min/m3 | Delayed onset (minutes); irritation, uncontrollable coughing and sneezing; vomiting and diarrhea can last hours. |
Cyanides |
Hydrogen cyanide (AC) | Gas with odor of bitter almonds or peach kernels | 630 mm Hg 1, 100,000 mg/m3 Gas lighter than air | <1h | LC50 2, 500–5,000 mg-min/m3 LD50 skin 100 mg/kg | Rapidly acting gaseous cyanide. |
Cyanogen chloride (CK) | Colorless gas or liquid | 1, 230 mm Hg 2, 600,000 mg/m3 Gas density heavier than that of air | Not persistent | LC50 11,000 mg-min/m3 | Irritating to eyes and lungs, can cause delayed pulmonary edema. |
Incapacitating agents (see text) |