Chemical warfare was first used in the First World War. Shortly after the affect of these weapons was realized all over the world, nations came together to uniformly decide that the use of these weapons in war should be prohibited. Apparently killing people with flying metal and bullets was one thing, but releasing a deadly cloud of chemical gases was another. In this paper I will explain the composition and affects of some of the most severe chemical agents used in chemical weapons including Sarin Gas, Mustard Gas, and VX.
Sarin is a colorless and odorless gas that is composed of carbon, hydrogen, fluorine, oxygen, and phosphorus. It is also known as GB. It has a lethal dose of 0.5 milligram for a human adult. It is 26 times more deadly than cyanide gas and is 20 times more lethal than potassium cyanide. The vapor is slightly heavier than air, so it hovers close to the ground. Under wet and humid weather conditions sarin degrades quickly, but as the temperature rises up to a certain point, sarin's lethal duration increases. Factory production of Sarin took place from 1942-1945. After the war, the allies seized large .
Quantities of the agent. Production of Sarin has slowed since the decision to not use it in war took place; although, many countries still have the ability to produce it. .
Mustard Gas (Yperite) was first used by the German Army in September 1917. The most lethal of all the poisonous chemicals used during World War I, it was almost odorless and took twelve hours to take effect. Mustard Gas was so powerful that only small amounts had to be added to explosive shells to be effective. Once in the soil, mustard gas remained active for several weeks. The Mustard Gas caused the skin of the victims to blister, the eyes became very sore, and they began to vomit. Mustard gas caused internal and external bleeding and attacked the bronchial tubes, stripping off the mucous membrane.