In News
- The recent Nord Stream explosions in the Baltic took place at a major dumping ground for German chemicals and explosives including mustard gas.
Mustard Gas
- Possibly the world’s most commonly used chemical weapon.
- It was widely used in World War I.
- Gets its name from its distinctive odour of rotten mustard.
- It is slow acting.
- Lethality: only about 5% to 10% of people exposed to it usually die.
Chemical Weapons
- About:
- Specialised munitions that deliver chemicals that inflict death or injury on humans through chemical actions.
- Referred to as the “poor man’s bomb”- as relatively cheap and easy to produce
- Impact: Cause catastrophic damage, trigger unmatched horror and leave deep psychological scars.
- Commonly used chemical weapons: mustard gas, phosgene, chlorine, and the nerve agents Sarin and VX.
Source: DTE
