Chemical
vs. Biological Weapons
Introduction
: Chemical weapons
Introduction : Biological Weapons
The Lethal Factor
Improvised Manufacture
Deployment Techniques
Protection Against
Examples of CW's : Sarin
Examples of CW's : VX Gas
Examples of BW's : Anthrax
Examples of BW's : Botulin Toxin
Introduction
: Chemical Weapons
Chemical weapons known as Nerve Agents were discovered accidentally
by German Scientist Gerhard Schrader in 1936. Shcrader was working
on developing a chemical to fight insects (insecticides), on his
success he sprayed a dilute solution of what is now known as the
Tabun Nerve Agent on a group of insects. However, a short time
later he developed side effects related to vision and breathing
that lasted three weeks. And so the discovery. Although Chemical
Agents such as chlorine and phosgene gas were first used during
the first World War in trench warfare their lethality did not
compare to that of nerve agents. Nerve Agents work by unbalancing
the Nervous system and thus paralysing the subject's muscles and
arresting the respiratory (Breathing) system causing death.
Introduction
: Biological Weapons
Biological Weapons are a lot more difficult to trace in history.
During the ancient siege of a city a disease infected carcas would
be thrown into the city to cause the infection to spread throughout
the population. Due to the cold war research into BW's was intensified
leading to the further development of toxins generated by bacteria
(such as the botulin toxin). Biological Agents work by several
ways, either by infecting the human body with disease or unbalancing
the body's system as with toxins.
The
Lethal Factor
Which is more lethal, BW or CW ? This question cannot really apply
to toxicity as different factors apply. Chemical Weapons have
the property of killing instantly with a lethal dose possible
as 10 milligrams, that's one hundredth the weight of a gram. The
lethal dose of CW would usually cause a paralysis of muscles and
the stopping of breathing. However, Biological Weapons do not
kill instantly, a very small amount of bacteria can infect and
kill 100% of people exposed in three to seven days (such as anthrax).
Certain BW's can have the added trait of being contageous (unlike
CW's), further multiplying their lethality factor. In a weight
to weight ratio related to exposure by inhalation CW's are more
lethal than BW's. BW's can be further modified by genetic engineering,
it is certainly possible that a Biological Weapon targeting an
ethnic group is being or has been developed by the military. There
are not many documented incidents of the use of such military
weaponry against a civillian population, such few examples being
the Tokyo subway attack and an incident were a U.S. Ship leaked
mustard gas in an Italian harbor killing upto 1000 people during
the second world war.
Improvised
Manufacture
There has been a lot of controversy and fear around the idea of
terrorists obtaining this kind of technology and causing havoc
in a major city. The Anthrax letters which were posted to targets
in the U.S. are an example of the use of BW's by terrorists. It
should be noted that there are severe complications in the improvised
manufacture of BW's. Military grade BW's are usually in the form
of a very fine powder for the purpose of easy dispersal over the
target zone. An equivalent improvisation by an individual is nearly
impossible as a lot of equipment and expertise is needed to achieve
the powdered form. It is very easy and cheap to achieve a sludged
consistency, an example would be to take samples of anthrax from
an infected farm animal and use a biological culture medium such
as blood "agar" to allow the anthrax bacteria to multiply
resulting in a large supply of anthrax sludge. This sludge cannot
be dispersed effectively over a large area so this technique is
quite useless. Chemical Weapons which are much more expensive
to improvise, can be manufactured by a college level Chemistry
graduate. The procedure would require chemicals and equipment
available in Chemical supply companies. An example is the Tokyo
Subway attacks where an unconcentrated form of Sarin Nerve Agent
was used to cause havok, had the Sarin been military grade the
consequences would have been disastrous. The procedures and research
to improvise CW's are readily available to the public. Several
years ago controversial books on the subject of CW and BW improvisation
were readily available through the internet, but today these have
been taken 'off the shelves' in the interest of public safety.
Gerhard Shrader's research into the production of Sarin Nerve
Agent has been declassified after world war 2 and is available
to anyone through conventional library sources.
Deployment
Techniques
The very important aspect of CW and BW is how delivery to the
target is handled. To contrast effective and non effective techniques
the Tokyo Subway incident can be used. In this case a bottle of
a crude form of sarin was opened and left to evaporate naturally
with severe effects on the commuters. An effective technique would
involve the wide dispersal of Sarin at an altitude above a city
center. A small aeroplane can be used to achieve this with horrific
results to the population below. A spray nozzle or 'drop box'
could be used for either CW or BW assuming they are of the correct
consistency. Another way is to attach a low temperature explosive
device to a container of BW/CW and set it to explode a certain
altitude above a crowded area using an electronic altemeter detonator.
In such a dispersion scenario the Boiling Point of the CW is important
as it defines the way the chemical disperses and reacts to high
temperatures. As an example if volatile Sarin is exploded above
the target on a very hot day a lot of it would evaporate needlessly,
further to that the area would only be contaminated for a short
time as the sarin would all evaporate eventually.
A
very simple problem exists with deployment. The substances used
are so toxic that physical contact can cause death to the personnel
handling the weapons. Conventional techniques have artillery shells
filled with CW or BW. This is usually overcome by filling the
shells with the substance seconds before the shell is inserted
and launched by artillery, therefore avoiding the hazardous transportation
of CW or BW shells by conventional soldiers. In the case of CW
a special alternative exists to this in the form of Binary Weapons.
Instead of storing a CW two reactants are stored seperately and
mixed en route to the target by the rotating artillery shell after
just being dispatched by the cannon.
Ways
to protect against
Chemical weapons can gain entry to the body through contact, inhalation
or ingestion. Similarly Biological Weapons designed for effective
dispersion. To protect against such weaponry the body will have
to be totally isolated from the substance and a filter established
for breathing. This is what an NBC suit does (Nuclear Biological
Chemical). These suits can be reused repeatedly or come in the
disposable form. In addition there is always the chance of exposure
even with a suit so protective medication is required; For CW
an injection of Atropine along with an inhibitor related to the
nervous system is required (such as Contrathion), in combination
these two chemicals work against the loss of balance in the nervous
system caused by the CW. BW's are more complicated as a vaccine
is required to protect against the effect of the BW disease or
the use of a powerful antibiotic to help fight the infection (such
as DoxyCycline). Coupled together the NBC suits, medication and
early warning devices help protect against the threat of CW and
BW.
Examples
of CW's : Sarin
Sarin, chemical name Isopropyl Methyl Phosphonoflouridate can
be synthesized in a good chemical laboratory, it is a thin oily
liquid clear to amber in color and odourless. The fatal inhalation
dosage is 10 milligrams. Death can occur to the target in 1 to
10 minutes with indications of dim vision, runny nose, tightness
in the chest, nausea, diarrhea, coma and respiratory failure.
Sarin used to be the standard nerve agent used by the United States.
It was invented by Gerhard Schrader during World War 2. The main
trouble with using Sarin is that it is very volatile so tends
to evaporate from the target area before its full effect can take
place.
Examples
of CW's : VX Gas.
VX, chemical name S-(2-DiisopropylAminoEthyl)-0-EthylMethylphonothiolate
can be synthesized in a good chemical laboratory, it is a heavy
oily liquid like motor oil clear in color and odourless. The fatal
inhalation dosage is 10 milligrams, Death occurs to the target
in 10 minutes with indications of dim vision, runny nose, tightness
of chest, sweating, muscular twitching, nausea, vomiting, weakness
and coma. VX was discovered out of insecticide research done in
Britain. VX has a high vapor pressure in contrast with Sarin therefore
it is very persistent on the target (it will not evaporate easily).
This factor gives VX a very lethal skin contact dosage of 2 milligrams
as compared to Sarin's 10 milligrams.
Examples
of BW's : Anthrax
Anthrax (Bacillus Anthracis) was discovered in the mid 19th century.
It is thought to be behind the death of many people in medieval
europe and ancient Egypt. The Japanese first looked into the use
of anthrax as a military weapon in 1930. It is considered as the
perfect biological weapon because of the fact that it is extremely
persistent. It will contaminate the area of a natural target for
years before it can be cleaned up. Once exposed it is fatal to
100% of all exposures and will lead to death in 3 to 7 days. Although
it is not contageous several different types exist; Anthrax can
be lethal when inhaled but other types exist that are activated
on contact with the skin. Anthrax has received a lot of coverage
in the news recently due to the Anthrax Letters which were posted
to the U.S. after the September 11 incident.
Examples
of BW's : Botulin Toxin
Botulin is an exception to the rule of Biological Weapons. The
Bacteria Clostridia Botulinum produces the Botulin Toxin as a
by product. The fatal dose of the Botulin Toxin is 1 microgram,
that's one millionth of a gram in weight. Theoretically speaking,
1 gram of this toxin is enough to kill 1 million people making
it the second best poison in the world. A lot of coverage of this
weapon has been attributed to food poisoning, therefore it is
not expected to be used as a weapon. Small quantities of Botulin
Toxin can be created rather easily with basic Biological principles.
