Other categories of hazardous chemicals used as agents of mass destruction

Other categories of hazardous chemicals used as agents of chemical warfare according to the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) are as follows:

• Nerve agents: These are highly poisonous chemicals that work by preventing the nervous system from working properly.

• Biotoxins: These are poisons that come from plants or animals.

• Blister agents/vesicants—chemicals that severely blister the eyes, respiratory tract, and skin on contact.

• Blood agents: They are poisons that affect the body by being absorbed into the blood.

• Caustics (acids): These are chemicals that burn or corrode people’s skin, eyes, and mucus membranes (lining of the nose, mouth, throat, and lungs) on contact.

• Choking/lung/pulmonary agents: These are chemicals that cause severe irritation or swelling of the respiratory tract (lining of the nose and throat, lungs).

• Incapacitating agents: These are drugs that make people unable to think clearly or that cause an altered state of consciousness (possibly unconsciousness).

• Long-acting anticoagulants: These are poisons that prevent blood from clotting properly, which can lead to uncontrolled bleeding.

• Metals: These areagents that consist of metallic poisons.

• Organic solvents: These are agents that damage the tissues of living things by dissolving fats and oils.

• Riot control agents/tear gas: These agents are highly irritating agents normally used by law enforcement agents such as the police for crowd control or by individuals for protection (for example, mace).

• Toxic alcohols: These are poisonous alcohols that can damage the heart, kidneys, and nervous system

• Vomiting agents: These are chemicals that cause nausea and vomiting.

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