Phosgene was responsible for up to 85 per cent of the 100,000 chemical weapons deaths in the First World War.
According to the paper, the Royal Engineers found an antidote to every kind of gas used, developing a so-called 'black veil' respirator, 'hypo-helmet' and flannelette helmet which had a chemical impregnation which, it was said, provided protection against
phosgene.
Scheme 1 shows a simplified overall reaction scheme for the interfacial polycarbonate synthesis reaction with BPA and
phosgene as two reactants.
Pizon, "
Phosgene Exposure: A Case of Accidental Industrial Exposure," Journal of Medical Toxicology, vol.
Osborne informs readers about aspects of fighting in World War I, including trench warfare, trench foot, shell shock, machine guns, flamethrowers, tanks, airplanes, submarines, phosphorus bombs, and the use of chlorine,
phosgene, and mustard gases.
Although the majority of the German weaponry dumped was conventional (explosives or fire ammunition), about 40,000 tons contained chemicals including mustard gas,
phosgene -- a chemical weapon that gained infamy during World War I -- and arsenic.
And many parties not only have a capability but also produce agents for accepted, peaceful purposes--for instance,
phosgene for use in metallurgical processes.
Alarmingly, one of them is labelled '
phosgene gas'.
Classification of chemical weapons (15) Nerve Gases Blister Gases Pulmonary Blood Irritants Poisons Sarin (GB) Sulfur Mustard
Phosgene (CG) Cyanogen (HD) Chloride Tabun (GA) Nitrogen Diphosgene (DP) Hydrogen Mustard Cyanide (HN-mustard gases) Soman (GD) Lewisite (L) Chlorine (CL) Methylphosphono-
Phosgene oxime Chloropicrin thioic acid (VX) (CX) (PS) Nerve Gases Incapacitators Vomitive Agents Sarin (GB) Psychomimetics Adamsite (DM) (3- quinuclidinyl benzilate, LSD) Tabun (GA) Opioids and Diphenylcyanoarsine Benzodiazepines (DC) Soman (GD) Tear Gases Diphenylchloroarsine Chloroacetophenone (DA) (CN), orthochloroben- zylidenemalononitrile (CS), Methylphosphono- Dibenzo [B,F] [1,4] thioic acid (VX) Oxazepine) (CR)
In 2015, the company divested its
phosgene business and its aromatics business.
"The detail in the report raises more questions than it answers about what is really in the quarries, and of the possibility, no matter how remote, of
phosgene and tabun still on site.
While chemical weapons attacks grab headlines today, they have a history of use that dates back to the chlorine and
phosgene attacks of the First World War.