Phase I study of a topical skin protectant against chemical warfare agents.

Vesicants and some nerve agents penetrate exposed skin, mainly through the sensitive integration areas of the personal protective equipment. Therefore, improving dermal barrier with a topical agent should reduce the threat of exposure. A topical skin protectant lotion (IB1) was developed to improve protection against chemical warfare agents.

The possible use of oximes as antidotal therapy in organophosphate-induced brain damage.

Organophosphate (OP) poisoning poses great danger to both military and civilian populations. OP-induced brain injury is characterized by rapid loss of consciousness, seizures, central respiratory inhibition as well as long-term behavioral changes in sub-lethal injuries. The pharmacological treatment of OP poisoning is based on anticholinergic and anticonvulsant drugs as well as oximes, which reactivate the non-aged inhibited enzyme.

Medical management of toxicological mass casualty events.

The relative accessibility to various chemical agents, including chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial compounds, places a toxicological mass casualty event, including chemical terrorism, among the major threats to homeland security. TMCE represents a medical and logistic challenge with potential hazardous exposure of first-response teams. In addition, TMCE poses substantial psychological and economic impact.

Ammonia--when something smells wrong.

Ammonia is a common household and industrial chemical. In the medical literature and the electronic press there are many descriptions of accidental spills of anhydrous ammonia, but apart from the Chechen war, there is no evidence of its intentional use by a terrorist to date. When considering its characteristics, ammonia tankers may pose an imminent threat for a civilian population nearby.

Hydrogen fluoride--the protoplasmic poison.

HF is a corrosive mineral acid. It has extremely harmful systemic effects through any route of exposure. In dilute solutions the onset of symptoms is latent.