As lachrymatory agents, they irritate the eyes and cause uncontrolled tearing. Large doses can cause temporary blindness. If inhaled they also make breathing difficult. Symptoms usually resolve by 30 minutes after contact. Thus, tear gas was never very effective as a weapon against groups of enemy soldiers.
The German gas warfare program was headed by Fritz Haber — whose first try for a weapon was chlorine, which he debuted at Ypres in April It can react with water in the lungs to form hydrochloric acid, which is destructive of tissue and can quickly lead to death, or, at least, permanent lung tissue damage and disability.
At lower concentrations, if it does not reach the lungs, per se, it can cause coughing, vomiting, and eye irritation. Chlorine was deadly against unprotected soldiers.
It is estimated over 1, were killed in its first use at Ypres. Its color and odor made it easy to spot, and since chlorine is water-soluble even soldiers without gas masks could minimize its effect by placing water-soaked - even urine-soaked - rags over their mouths and noses. Additionally, releasing the gas in a cloud posed problems, as the British learnt to their detriment when they attempted to use chlorine at Loos.
The wind shifted, carrying the gas back onto their own men. Phosgene is highly toxic, due to its ability to react with proteins in the alveoli of the lungs, disrupting the blood-air barrier, leading to suffocation. Allied soldiers pose for a picture while wearing their gas masks. Phosgene was much more effective and more deadly than chlorine, though one drawback was that the symptoms could sometimes take up to 48 hours to be manifest.
On April 22, at 5 p. The attack forced two colonial French divisions north of Ypres from their positions, creating a 5-mile gap in the Allied line defending the city. Stunned by their overwhelming outcome of the attack, the Germans tentatively advanced, losing an opportunity to exploit their success.
Phosgene is used in industry to produce many other chemicals such as pesticides. Phosgene can be formed when chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds are exposed to high temperatures.
Chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds are substances sometimes used or created in industry that contain the elements chlorine, hydrogen, and carbon. The vapors of chlorinated solvents exposed to high temperatures have been known to produce phosgene. Chlorinated solvents are chlorine-containing chemicals that are typically used in industrial processes to dissolve or clean other materials, such as in paint stripping, metal cleaning, and dry cleaning.
Phosgene gas is heavier than air, so it would be more likely found in low-lying areas. If phosgene gas is released into the air, people may be exposed through skin contact or eye contact. They may also be exposed by breathing air that contains phosgene.
If phosgene liquid is released into water, people may be exposed by touching or drinking water that contains phosgene. If phosgene liquid comes into contact with food, people may be exposed by eating the contaminated food.
How phosgene works Poisoning caused by phosgene depends on the amount of phosgene to which a person is exposed, the route of exposure, and the length of time that a person is exposed.
Phosgene gas and liquid are irritants that can damage the skin, eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. Immediate signs and symptoms of phosgene exposure During or immediately after exposure to dangerous concentrations of phosgene, the following signs and symptoms may develop: Coughing Burning sensation in the throat and eyes Watery eyes Blurred vision Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath Nausea and vomiting Skin contact can result in lesions similar to those from frostbite or burns Following exposure to high concentrations of phosgene, a person may develop fluid in the lungs pulmonary edema within 2 to 6 hours.
Exposure to phosgene may cause delayed effects that may not be apparent for up to 48 hours after exposure, even if the person feels better or appears well following removal from exposure. Therefore, people who have been exposed to phosgene should be monitored for 48 hours afterward.
Delayed effects that can appear for up to 48 hours include the following: Difficulty breathing Coughing up white to pink-tinged fluid a sign of pulmonary edema Low blood pressure Heart failure Showing these signs or symptoms does not necessarily mean that a person has been exposed to phosgene.
What the long-term health effects are Most people who recover after an exposure to phosgene make a complete recovery. However, chronic bronchitis and emphysema have been reported as a result of phosgene exposure. How people can protect themselves and what they should do if they are exposed to phosgene Leave the area where the phosgene was released and get to fresh air.
Quickly moving to an area where fresh air is available is highly effective in reducing the possibility of death from exposure to phosgene. If the phosgene release was outdoors, move away from the area where the phosgene was released. Go to the highest ground possible, because phosgene is heavier than air and will sink to low-lying areas.
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