Lewisite: Its Chemistry, Toxicology, and Biological Effects

Goldman, Max; Dacre, Jack C.

doi:10.1007/978-1-4684-7092-5_2

Cited by 108 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…By reacting with water, they are converted to nontoxic hydrolysis products such as thiodiglycol and ethanolamines. Lewisite 1 (L1) 24) possesses two arsenic chlorine bonding, which leads to rapid hydrolysis in water to produce 2-chlorovinylarsonic acid (CVAA) and HCl, manifesting inflammation. L1 and CVAA covalently bind with thiols such as protein cysteine residues, resulting in loss of biological function.…”

Section: Characteristics Of Bcwasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Research and Development of On-site Decontamination System for Biological and Chemical Warfare Agents

Seto

2011

JOURNAL OF HEALTH SCIENCE

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Biological and chemical warfare agents (BCWAs) are diverse in nature including synthetic low molecular weight chemical warfare agents (gaseous choking and blood agents), volatile nerve gases and blister agents, nonvolatile vomit agents and lachrymators, biological toxins (polar low molecular weight toxins and proteinous toxins), and microorganisms (viruses, rickettsia, chlamydia and bacteria). In the consequence management against chemical and biological warfare terrorism, speedy decontamination of casualties, goods, items and equipments, buildings and field is required for the minimization of the terrorism damage. At present, washing casualties and contaminated materials with large volumes of water is the basic way, and hypochlorite solution is mainly used to decompose BCWAs. However, it still remains unsolved how to dispose the waste water contaminated with BCWAs, and decontaminating reagents have serious problems of high toxicity to human, despoiling nature to environment, long finishing time and non-durability. In addition, the present decontamination technologies are not effective, nonspecifically affecting the surrounding non-target materials. Therefore, it is the urgent matter to build up usable decontamination system surpassing the present system. The author introduces the joint project of research and development of the novel decontamination system against BCWAs, in the purpose of realizing non-dangerous, rapid, specific, effective and economical on-site decontamination. The project consists of establishment of the evaluation methods for decontamination, and verification of the present technologies and utilization of bacterial organophosphorus hydrolase, development of specific adsorptive elimination technologies using molecular recognition devices, and development of deactivation technologies using photocatalysis.

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Section: Characteristics Of Bcwasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Research and Development of On-site Decontamination System for Biological and Chemical Warfare Agents

Seto

2011

JOURNAL OF HEALTH SCIENCE

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“…Lewisite Lewisite [dichloro(2-chlorovinyl)arsine; Cl-CH = CH-AsCI2] is an organic arsenical with vesicant properties. Purified Lewisite is a colorless, oily liquid with very little odor, whereas the synthesized chemical agent is an amber-to-dark brown liquid with a geraniumlike odor (10,15). The synthesized agent is composed of cis and trans isomers in the ratio of 10:90 and several impurities including bis(2-chlorovinyl)chloroarsine, tris(2-chlorovinyl)arsine, and arsenic trichloride (5,10).…”

Section: Nitrogen Mustard Agentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although the low water solubility of Lewisite indicates intermediate persistence in moist soil (2,10), Lewisite applied to soil may rapidly volatilize and/or be converted to Lewisite oxide through exposure to soil moisture followed by drying (5). According to Cooper (234) (228).…”

Section: Nitrogen Mustard Agentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For aquatic organisms, LC50 values of < 1 mg/L and < 0.1 mg/L are considered highly acutely and chronically toxic, respectively. The primary warfare agents of concern within the U.S. CW agent inventory include several vesicant or blister agents: sulfur mustards {undistilled sulfur mustard (H), sulfur mustard (HD), and an HD/ agent T mixture (HT)}; nitrogen mustards [ethylbis(2-chloroethyl)amine (HN 1), methylbis(2-chloroethyl)amine (HN2), tris(2-chloroethyl)amine (HN3)], and the organic arsenical Lewisite]; four nerve agents [VX, GA, GB, and soman (pinacolyl methylphosphonofluoridate; GD)], and the blood agent cyanogen chloride (CK) [ Table 1 (2, [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]]. The nitrogen mustards, GD nerve agent, and CK were not stockpiled as part of the U.S. chemical weapons inventory, and Lewisite and GA were produced in limited quantities in the United States.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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The sources, fate, and toxicity of chemical warfare agent degradation products.

Munro

Talmage

Griffin

et al. 1999

Environ Health Perspect

527

501

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We indude in this review an assessment of the formation, environmental fate, and mammalian and ecotoxicity of CW agent degradation products relevant to environmental and occupational health.These parent CW agents indude several vesicants: sulfur mustards [undistilled sulfur mustard (H), sulfur mustard (HD), and an HD/agent T mixture (HT)]; nitrogen mustards [ethylbis(2-chloroethyl)amine (HN1), methylbis(2-chloroethyl)amine (HN2), tris(2-chloroethyl)amine (HN3)], and Lewisite; four nerve agents {O0ethyl S.[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothioate (VX), tabun (GA), sarin (GB), and soman (GD)}; and the blood agent cyanogen chloride. The degradation processes considered here include hydrolysis, microbial degradation, oxidation, and photolysis. We also briefly address decontamination but not combustion processes. Because CW agents are generally not considered very persistent, certain degradation products of significant persistence, even those that are not particularly toxic, may indicate previous CW agent presence or that degradation has occurred. Of those products for which there are data on both environmental fate and toxicity, only a few are both environmentally persistent and highly toxic. Major degradation products estimated to be of significant persistence (weeks to years) indude thiodiglycol for HD; Lewisite oxide for Lewisite; and ethyl methyl phosphonic acid, methyl phosphonic acid, and possibly S.(2-diisopropylaminoethyl) methylphosphonothioic acid (EA 2192) for VX. Methyl phosphonic acid is also the ultimate hydrolysis product of both GB and GD. The GB product, isopropyl methylphosphonic acid, and a dosely related contaminant of GB, diisopropyl methylphosphonate, are also persistent. Of all of these compounds, only Lewisite oxide and EA 2192 possess high mammalian toxicity. Unlike other CW agents, suifur mustard agents (e.g., HD) are somewhat persistent; therefore, sites or conditions involving potential HD contamination should include an evaluation of both the agent and thiodiglycol.

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“…In marked contrast to sulfur mustard, Lewisite exposure is characterized by prompt onset of pain and/or stinging or burning sensations; necrosis is early and complete. Erythema is "immediate" (Smith and Dunn 1991), followed by the production of vesicles that coalesce to form larger blisters in approximately 2-3 hours (Goldman and Dacre 1989;Smith and Dunn 1991). Larger exposures result in agent penetration through subcutaneous tissue to muscle, with associated edema and necrosis (IOM 1993).…”

Section: Vesicant Agentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Chemical Warfare Agent Percutaneous Vapor Toxicity: Derivation of Toxicity Guidelines for Assessing Chemical Protective Ensembles.

Watson¹

2003

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Lewisite: Its Chemistry, Toxicology, and Biological Effects

Cited by 108 publications

References 55 publications

Research and Development of On-site Decontamination System for Biological and Chemical Warfare Agents

Research and Development of On-site Decontamination System for Biological and Chemical Warfare Agents

The sources, fate, and toxicity of chemical warfare agent degradation products.

Evaluation of Chemical Warfare Agent Percutaneous Vapor Toxicity: Derivation of Toxicity Guidelines for Assessing Chemical Protective Ensembles.

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