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A blister agent (or vesicant) is a chemical compound that causes severe skin, eye and mucosal pain and irritation in the form of severe chemical burns resulting in fluid filled blisters. Named for their ability to cause vesication, blister agent refers in common parlance to those agents which are developed for, or have been in the past utilized as chemical weapons, though some naturally occurring substances such as cantharidin fall under the same terminology.Cantharidin and Meloids: a review of classical history, biosynthesis, and function
Exposure to blister agents is widely incapacitating, but often precipitates a delayed effect, with symptoms developing one to twenty four hours following the initial contact with the agent. Treatment for acute exposure is largely supportive, with the exception of
Lewisite Lewisite (L) (A-243) is an organoarsenic compound. It was once manufactured in the United States, Japan, Germany and the Soviet Union for use as a Chemical warfare, chemical weapon, acting as a vesicant (blister agent) and lung irritant. Although ...
, for which an antidote is available. Overall lethality as a direct result of exposure is low, but increases with dose. Despite low overall lethality, blister agent exposure requires extensive supportive treatment, and can cause significant strain on medical systems. In some cases, blister agents have limited medical uses including for purposes of wart removal.


Blister agents used in warfare

Blister agents relevant to warfare are generally divided into three categories: * Mustards - A family of related agents whose odor is similar to mustard plants,
garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plants in the genus '' Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chives, Welsh onion, and Chinese onion. Garlic is native to central and south Asia, str ...
, or
horseradish Horseradish (''Armoracia rusticana'', syn. ''Cochlearia armoracia'') is a perennial plant of the family Brassicaceae (which also includes Mustard plant, mustard, wasabi, broccoli, cabbage, and radish). It is a root vegetable, cultivated and us ...
, giving them their name. This family includes two primary subtypes: ** Sulfur mustards – A subfamily of
sulfur Sulfur ( American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphur ( Commonwealth spelling) is a chemical element; it has symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms ...
-based agents, including what was referred to as mustard gas during World War I. **
Nitrogen mustard Nitrogen mustards (NMs) are cytotoxic organic compounds with the bis(2-chloroethyl)amino ((ClC2H4)2NR) functional group. Although originally produced as chemical warfare agents, they were the first chemotherapeutic agents for treatment of canc ...
s – A subfamily of agents similar to the sulfur mustards, but based on
nitrogen Nitrogen is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol N and atomic number 7. Nitrogen is a Nonmetal (chemistry), nonmetal and the lightest member of pnictogen, group 15 of the periodic table, often called the Pnictogen, pnictogens. ...
instead of sulfur, of which three varieties exist which are significant to warfare. * Organoarsenics - A family of agents including ethyldichloroarsine (ED), methyldichloroarsine(MD) and phenyldichloroarsine (PD). *
Lewisite Lewisite (L) (A-243) is an organoarsenic compound. It was once manufactured in the United States, Japan, Germany and the Soviet Union for use as a Chemical warfare, chemical weapon, acting as a vesicant (blister agent) and lung irritant. Although ...
– An early blister agent that was developed, but not used, during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. It was effectively rendered obsolete with the development of dimercaprol in the 1940s. Some sources erroneously report
phosgene oxime Phosgene oxime, or CX, is an organic compound with the formula . It is a potent chemical weapon, specifically a nettle agent. The compound itself is a colorless solid, but impure samples are often yellowish liquids. It has a strong, disagreeable ...
, a nettle agent as a blister agent. Because it causes urticaria, not vesication, the grouping is not consistent with the accepted categorization of the blister agents.


Effects

Exposure to a weaponized blister agent can cause a number of life-threatening symptoms, including: * Severe skin, eye and mucosal pain and irritation * Skin
erythema Erythema (, ) is redness of the skin or mucous membranes, caused by hyperemia (increased blood flow) in superficial capillaries. It occurs with any skin injury, infection, or inflammation. Examples of erythema not associated with pathology inc ...
with large fluid
blister A blister is a small pocket of body fluid (lymph, serum, plasma, blood, or pus) within the upper layers of the skin, usually caused by forceful rubbing (friction), burning, freezing, chemical exposure or infection. Most blisters are filled ...
s that heal slowly and may become infected *
Tearing Tearing is the act of breaking apart a material by force, without the aid of a cutting tool. A tear in a piece of paper, fabric, or some other similar object may be the result of the intentional effort with one's bare hands, or be accidental. ...
,
conjunctivitis Conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye or Madras eye, is inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin, clear layer that covers the white surface of the eye and the inner eyelid. It makes the eye appear pink or reddish. Pain, burning, scratchiness ...
,
cornea The cornea is the transparency (optics), transparent front part of the eyeball which covers the Iris (anatomy), iris, pupil, and Anterior chamber of eyeball, anterior chamber. Along with the anterior chamber and Lens (anatomy), lens, the cornea ...
l damage * Mild respiratory distress to marked airway damage All blister agents currently known are denser than air, and are readily absorbed through the eyes, lungs, and skin. Exposure to blister agents may precipitate a wide variety of long term effects due primarily to their general statuses as carcinogens, and their abilities to cause permenant cellular damage.


References


External links


Medterms.com

Medical Aspects of Biological and Chemical Warfare, Chapter 7: Vesicants
{{Chemical warfare