Mustard Gas

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