Molecules that changed the world – Mustard Gas
Mustard gas (sulfur mustard) has a melting point of 218˚C and is therefore a liquid at room temperature. It is colourless when pure although can be seen to be yellow/brown when impure, it is very toxic [2]. The first recorded synthesis of mustard gas was in 1822 by a French chemist, César-Mansuète Despretz[1] who synthesised it by the following reaction: [3]
Above, bis (2-chloroethyl) sulfide (Mustard gas) is produced from the electrophilic addition of sulfur dichloride to ethane. Its properties were first defined by Fredrick Gurthie who in his paper ‘on some derivatives of olefines’[4] as “smelling like mustard, tasting like garlic, and causing blisters after contact with the skin”. Historically, mustard Gas had found no significant use until World War I where interest spread in the development of new chemical weapons [5]. Wilhelm Steinkopf, a German chemist; working under the invitation of Fritz Haber, was responsible for developing a large scale method of mustard gas production [6]. He did this using a process developed by an English chemist; Hans Thatcher Clarke, from the Mayer method, where ethanol is reacted with hypochlorous acid and then sodium sulfide. The product of which is heated with Hydrochloric acid [7][12]. This method proved most useful to the german army as it used 2-chloroethanol, which was readily available due to its large scale use in the chemical dye industry [2]. In 1916 Steinkopf had developed a
This gas may cause temporary blindness and inflammation of the nose and throat of the victim. A gas mask would easily offer good protection against this gas. This chemical and any chemical with bromide were quite popular during World War I since it was easily brewed.
Frist of all, in the Second Battle of Ypres, the Germans introduced the first use of poisonous gas. When poison gas first introduced it was a popular weapon choice and would be the weapon to change the outcome of the war. The Germans surprisingly attack the Allies, where the used lethal chloride gas against them. The gas was deadly and killed over one thousand soldiers. (1) It also allowed a significant advanced for the Germans in the war. The gas usage continued to grow throughout the war. In the end, many Allied countries started chemical weapons research. Gas warfare became common but effective actions were used to protect the troops. After World War 1, poison was use for a while but in today’s war it is no longer allowed. Instead of poisonous gas, chemical warfare is used. Chemical weapons come in a variety of forms and are used for several different techniques.
Poison gas was used throughout WW1. Chlorine gas, phosgene gas and mustard gas were the types of poison gas used in WW1. Chlorine gas effects a person within seconds of inhaling its vapor. It destroyed the victim's respiratory organs, bringing on choking attacks. Chlorine is a yellow-green gas with a strong, bleach like odour.it smells as a mix of pepper and pineapple. Phosgene is a colorless gas with a mustly odor comparable to newly cut hay or grass. Phosgene gas reacts with proteins in lung alveoli, causing suffocation. Cause
Mustard gas is the most commonly used gas. It kills by blistering the lungs and throat. It made blisters all over the body which caused the body to swell under uniform. The effects of chlorine gas was sneezing, nose irritation, and throat irritation. Each gas makes it very hard to breathe and causes swelling.
One of the many advancements made during the duration of World War I was that of poisonous gasses. These gasses were considered “uncivilized” before the beginning of the first World War. However, they were deemed necessary to overcome the standoff between the Allied forces and the Central Powers. The French army was the first to use such a weapon in 1914, but the Germans were the first to use poisonous gasses on a large scale. The German’s first recorded use of
There are Three chemicals that make the bombs in WWII. One of the Chemicals are Tabun. Nazis forced prisoners to make tubun. Tabun is a chemical that messes with the nerve system. This chemical is also used stun grenades. The chemical was supposed to be a pesticide. Tubun was also used in gas chambers. Another gas used in bombs and in gas chamber is Zyklon B. Chlorine gas was a popular gas in WWI and in WWII. The gas was greenish yellow. It irritates the ears, lungs, nose, and throat. This gas kills its enemies by asphyxiation. This means it cuts off the air flow and chokes them.
Adopted by the German and allied armies, Phosgene was another gas that was used during World War 1. As a weapon, Phosgene would be more potent than Chlorine because it caused victims to cough less. Phosgene would often have delayed effects on victims. It would take 48 hours for a healthy soldier to be taken down after inhaling the gas. The white star mixture, which is a mixture of Chlorine and Phosgene, would commonly be used on the Somme. The contents of the Chlorine supplied the necessary vapers with which to carry the Phosgene.
At the beginning of World War I, the use of chemical weapons was still very much taboo. Not only did mankind have a universal aversion to the use of poison but there was also the 1899 Hague Convention Respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land that prohibited "poison or poisoned weapons" as permissible in war (#Tucker, 2006).
At the Battle of Ypres, the Germans released a cloud of chlorine gas that moved slowly toward the Allies trench (Simkin). The French were completely unprepared so many climbed out of the trench and ran away. German chemist Fritz Haber developed the gas for use in war. The Chlorine gas causes wheezing, coughing, and fluid build up in the lungs leading to a painful death of asphyxiation (White). Arthur Guy Empey said, “There's a sort of greenish, yellow cloud rolling along the ground out in front, it's coming ---” “German gas is heavier than air and soon fills the trenches and dugouts.” “Out of our crew of six, we lost two killed and two wounded.” (Empey) Other gasses like mustard gas and phosgene were used. Mustard gas was not used to kill people however it severely maimed them. Mustard gas caused large blisters on contact and blindness. Phosgene worked very similarly to chlorine gas, however, it was invisible allowing it to remain undetected (CDC). Chemical warfare has since been banned around the world. Barbed wire also changed the course of
Uses of irritating gas such as sulfur and burning wax have been recorded early as 428 BC during the war between the Athenians and the Spartans, but modern day chemical agents that cause excessive lacrimation and blepharospasm were first developed and used by Germany during World War I. [2] These riot control agents have also been referred to as lacrimators, tear gases, harassing agents, and irritating agents. Since its development, riot control agents have been used in wars, civil disturbances, as well as military training and exercises. While Chemical Weapons Convention prohibited the use of these agents as a method of warfare, USA currently does not classify riot control agents as chemical warfare agents. [3] Today, the most commonly used lacrimating agents are chloroacetophenone (CN), o-chloro-benzylidne malonitrile (CS), and oleoresin capsicum (OC).
The first piece of advanced military technology used in the war was mustard gas . Mustard gas was a gas the would disintegrate
This sort of tactic had never been used in war before this, it was a new type of fighting. This poison gas was so strong and effective that it could be used to kill thousands of men in a matter of moments by ripping the air from their lungs and rapidly giving off a burning sensation in the throat. Overall the gas caused pain and many dead soldiers due to this. The first poison gas attack was suggested by the inventor Fritz Haber and was used throughout the duration of the war. Fritz Haber was a nobel prize winning scientist that discovered that “the process to make food is the same process to make explosives because the thing you put in the ground to grow more food is the same you can use to make a bomb. It takes such energy and pressure to separate, this trivalent bond is so strong that when it comes together that energy that is released can be used for life or death.”(cite) Haber immediately took control and traveled to the first place they set the gas
LOST was the original name for mustard gas, it was named after Lommel and Steinkopf. They were the first people who proposed this gas to the military to use as a weapon in 1916. Although mustard gas could possibly been developed as early as 1822 by a French chemist, Cesar-Mansuete Desperetez. Thirty-two years later Alfred Riche repeated this reaction of the sulfur dichloride and ethylene, but both Riche and Desperetez did not note any harsh properties. In 1860, Frederick Gutherie synthesized and described the characteristics of the compound and it’s irritating properties.
Germany was the first to make large scale use of poison gas as a weapon. On 31 January 1915 18,000 artillery shells containing liquid xylyl bromide tear gas (known as T-Stoff) were fired on Russian positions on the Rawka River, west of Warsaw during the Battle of Bolimov. Instead of vaporizing the chemical froze, completely failing to have an impact. Unlike most weapons of the time it was possible to develop countermeasures to the various gas agents and hence in the latter stages of warfare and with the increased utilization of gas, the effectiveness was
Blister agents have some very particular traits verses other chemical weapons that are out there. Sulfur mustard gas is clear to yellowish in color or a brown oily liquid with a slight garlic or mustard smell. Lewisite contains arsenic and is a dark oily liquid with a light smell of geraniums. Phosgene, which is one of the most common halogenated oximes, is a colorless solid or liquid, with an intense irritating odor.