Chemical Safety Concerns of Sulfur Mustard Analog, 2-Chloroethyl Ethyl Sulfide, in Laboratory Study

: Sulfur mustard (SM), a classic chemical weapon in the vesicant category, can induce severe damage, for which the therapy is still limited even today. Laboratory work is essential in unveiling toxicological effects and developing medical countermeasures. Sulfur mustard analog 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES), is employed in the lab for less toxicity. However, due to its similar characteristics to SM (being oily, hydrophobic, and volatile), the manipulation of CEES still needs special attention to avoid personnel injury and laboratory pollution. Here, to clear the chemical safety concerns in the laboratory study of CEES, the working procedure and experimental data are summarized, which might help educate new researchers to be skilled and professional.

Toxicity of meta-Tyrosine

L-Tyrosine (Tyr) is one of the twenty proteinogenic amino acids and also acts as a precursor for secondary metabolites. Tyr is prone to modifications, especially under conditions of cellular redox imbalance. The oxidation of Tyr precursor phenylalanine leads to the formation of Tyr non-proteinogenic isomers, including meta-Tyr (m-Tyr), a marker of oxidative stress. The aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge on m-Tyr toxicity. The direct m-Tyr mode of action is linked to its incorporation into proteins, resulting in their improper conformation. Furthermore, m-Tyr produced by some plants as an allelochemical impacts the growth and development of neighboring organisms. In plants, the direct harmful effect of m-Tyr is due to its modification of the proteins structure, whereas its indirect action is linked to the disruption of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species metabolism. In humans, the elevated concentration of m-Tyr is characteristic of various diseases and ageing. Indeed, m-Tyr is believed to play an important role in cancer physiology. Thus, since, in animal cells, m-Tyr is formed directly in response to oxidative stress, whereas, in plants, m-Tyr is also synthesized enzymatically and serves as a chemical weapon in plant–plant competition, the general concept of m-Tyr role in living organisms should be specified.

Obama and the use of force: a discursive institutionalist analysis of Libya and Syria

What factors explain variation in decisions to use force in American foreign policy? Consider the Obama administration’s decision to intervene in Libya. Upon assuming office, Obama outlined a foreign policy marked by a self-professed doctrine, ‘don’t do stupid shit’. In short, Obama sought to avoid the unnecessary use of military force, but when the threat of mass atrocity emerged, despite strong protests from senior advisers, he became drawn into the 2011 Libya intervention. By contrast, following chemical weapon attacks in Syria in 2013, Obama reneged on upholding his so-called ‘red-line’, pursuing diplomatic measures even though support for a military response was strong. But what explains this variation? Rationalist perspectives across the board have tended to overrate interpretive efficiency. Yet, such assumptions obscure the capacity for interests to be interpreted in different ways. To redress this issue, I build on discursive institutionalist insights, developing a model to show how principled and cognitive ideas act as weapons in institutional debates, serving to repress or displace information. To show how agents come to rely on principled or cognitive ideas, I develop a three-part model offering two mechanisms – cognitive repression and normative displacement – by which agents displace and repress certain types of information, depending on the ‘form’ in which that information is presented. This enables a more comprehensive understanding of how different interpretations lead to policy variation at critical moments of decision.

Investigation of Long Term Hazards of Chemical Weapon Agents in the Environment of Sardasht Area, Iran

The present study aimed to was to investigate the persistence and existence of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and related dissipation products in the environment. The study area is Sardasht district located in the western borderline of Iran and Iraq in which was subjected to attack with chemical weapons in July 1987 during the Iran-Iraq war. Three types of environmental samples including water, soil and native local plant materials were collected and analyzed. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the electron impact ionization mode has been developed for the separation, screening, identification and qualification of chemicals after the sample preparation methods. In order to validate the applied extraction procedures, ethylene glycol was spiked to some of the samples including groundwater, surface soil, grape and alfalfa plants. All the recoveries were in the range of 83.6–107.4% with the relative standard deviations varying from 4.9–12.4% (n = 3) successfully. The initial results revealed that no trace of related compounds or CWAs was detected in the soil and water samples. However, trace amounts of some degradation products of blistering agents like Mustard gas (HD) and Lewisite were found in a tree wood from a house subjected to chemical attack as well as in barley samples (a mixture of leaves and root) collected from an agricultural field in the area indicating chronic low exposure to the environment and people.

Nanocellulose-Based Filters as Novel Barrier Systems for Chemical Warfare Agents

Current world events have made several countries as a target for terrorism. Chemical weapon such as nuclear weapon is commonly referred as a weapon of mass destruction. Organophosphorus (OP) compounds have long been used as pesticides and developed into warfare nerve agents such as tabun, soman, sarin, and VX. They are highly toxic and considered to be the most dangerous chemical weapons. Development on the protection material against OP compounds has gained interest among researcher. Nanocellulose has shown a great potential for high-performance filtration material due to its interesting characteristics such as high adsorption capacity, large surface area, high strength, renewable, chemical inertness, and versatile surface chemistry. Therefore, the evaluation of the chemical interaction between nanocellulose and organophosphorus is important. The analyses of fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), and elemental analysis were carried out in this study. It was found that the nanocellulose is capable to adsorb OP compound by forming the hydrogen bonding. The adsorption rate was increased as the nanocellulose concentration increased. This is the initial step to discover the potential of nanocellulose to be used in military protection mask.

Franco-British responses to chemical warfare 1915–8, with special reference to the medical services, casualty statistics and the threat to civilians

This dual-focussed examination will critically compare and contrast the British Royal Army Medical Corps and the French Medical Service’s involvement in the Western Front chemical campaign between 1915 and 1918. Because the Anglophone historiography has tended to marginalise the French contribution to the allied chemical war, this article will attempt to re-balance the historical narrative by emphasising the collective nature and importance of this joint Franco-British enterprise. By interrogating a raft of under-utilised primary evidence in the French and British archives, this investigation will contribute to the ‘alliance literature’ by arguing that when it comes to aspects of the Franco-British chemical war such as the co-operation of the medical services, the appellation ‘together but alone’ does not fully hold. The article will explore avenues of the two national armies evolving process of mutual medical assistance, material exchange and scientific collaboration. The striking similarity of French and British gas casualty statistics is highlighted with reference to the overall congruence of their anti-gas strategies – notwithstanding the problematic nature of these statistics. In addition to enhancing soldiers’ resistance to the poison gas threat on the battlefield, the Medical Services were also responsible for the protection of local civilians in the war zones. With reference mainly to France, this investigation will discuss the significance and implications of the poison gas threat to the home front. Finally, the impact of chemical weapon production upon civilian war workers in France and Britain will be commented upon.