Mustard Gas

EXPOSURE

• Severe delayed irritant. Contact with vapor or liquid can be fatal.

INHALATION

• delayed severe irritation
• sneezing, coughing, and bronchitis
• loss of appetite
• diarrhea
• fever
• apathy

SKIN

• Rapid penetration without irritation.
• Swelling (blisters) and reddening (erythema) in 4-24 hours depending on dose.

EYES

• tearing (lacrimation)
• light sensitivity
• irritation of conjunctiva and cornea
• severe necrosis
• loss of eyesight

• ROUTES OF EXPOSURE: The substance can be absorbed into the body by all routes. Tender skin, mucous membrane and perspiration-covered skin is more sensitive to the effects.

• INHALATION RISK: MUSTARD, a chlorinated sulfur compound, is a blister agent (vesicant) causing delayed severe damage to the respiratory tract, and an alkylating agent producing cytotoxic action on the hematopoietic (blood-forming) tissues.

• EFFECTS OF SHORT-TERM EXPOSURE: MUSTARD is corrosive to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. The skin healing process is very slow. Exposure to nearly lethal doses can produce injury to bone marrow, lymph nodes, and spleen causing a drop in white blood cell count and resulting in increased susceptibility to local and systemic infections.

• EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM OR REPEATED EXPOSURE: The rate of detoxification is very slow in the body and repeated exposures produce a cumulative effects including sensitization, chronic lung impairment (cough, shortness of breath, chest pain), cancer of the mouth, throat, respiratory tract and skin, and leukemia. It may also cause birth defects. A human carcinogen.

ENVIRONMENTAL DATA

• Bulk MUSTARD can persist for decades in soil or water. When exposed to sea water, mustard forms a thick outer "crust" over a core of mustard which allows the mustard to be brought to the surface where it can injure unsuspecting fishermen who snared plastic lumps of mustard gas in their nets.

CDC fact sheet on mustard gas

SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control