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mustard gas |
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mustard gas, chemical compound used as a poison gas poison gas, any of various gases sometimes used in warfare or riot control because of their poisonous or corrosive nature. These gases may be roughly grouped according to the portal of entry into the body and their physiological effects. ..... Click the link for more information. in World War I. The burning sensation it causes on contact with the skin is similar to that caused by oil from black mustard seeds. The compound is not a gas but a colorless, oily liquid with a somewhat sweet, agreeable odor; it boils at 217°C;. A powerful vesicant, mustard gas causes severe blistering even in small quantities. Highly irritating to the eyes, it quickly causes conjunctivitis and blindness. If inhaled, it attacks the respiratory tract and lungs, causing pulmonary edema. Some effects of exposure to mustard gas are delayed up to 12 hr; death may result several days after exposure. Mustard gas was introduced by the Germans in warfare against the British at Ypres, Belgium, in July, 1917, and took a heavy toll of casualties. It is dispersed as an aerosol by a bursting shell. Chemically, mustard gas is a thioether, 2,2′-dichlorodiethyl sulfide, (ClCH2CH2)2S. It can be prepared by reacting ethylene with sulfur monochloride, S2Cl2, or by other methods. Its vesicant property is readily destroyed either by oxidation or by chlorination (e.g., with bleaching powder). mustard gas an oily liquid vesicant compound used in chemical warfare. Its vapour causes blindness and burns. Formula: (ClCH2CH2)2S mustard gas [′məs·tərd ‚gas] (organic chemistry) HS(CH2ClCH2)2S An oil with density 1.28, boiling point 215°C; used in chemical warfare. Also known as dichlorodiethylsulfide. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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| His claims that it was vulnerable to leaks of deadly nerve and mustard agents proved accurate. experts have said there are several kinds of mustard agents, many of which have a garliclike odor and are related to the mustard gas that was used during World War I. In a two-year operation involving some 100 experts from 23 countries, the Commission oversaw the destruction of more than 480,000 litres of chemical warfare agents, including mustard agent and the nerve agents sarin and tabun, and over 28,000 chemical munitions, involving eight types of munitions ranging from rockets and artillery shells to bombs and ballistic missile warheads. |
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