Gas! Gas! Gas!

[Commander Waffle]

Well 2 things...(1) I learned a few thigns fromchemistry related tot his stuff and just feel like showing off and (2) I know this is a strict WWII site, but most of this stuff was devepoled or somewhat used in WWII...so I hope you don't get too mad. There a quite a few to go over, but it's not too technical stuff...and no, I did a little copy and psting here and there, but not the whole thing...it took me about 2 hours to type...have fun

White Cross Gases: This derives from Bromine gas, but instead its just chloraceophenone and bromine acetic ester, not just Bromine.This a probably the most non-lethal gas thereof. It's basically a nerve agent by irritating a the first respiratory system and eyes. It's not long lasting if you take the person into clean air and should soon be able to preform their duties. This was used by the germans in civil use, i.e. crowd control. Although this was not very lethal, it could very easly be tweeked into somthing more putent.

Adamsite: Now this gas is a variant of White Cross Gases. It first acts like White Cross but last longer. This is followed by a blinding headache and serious choughing. Soon, nausea and vomiting start. The gas only lasts about 10 minutes in the air, but the effects can last for days, are extremely unpleasant.

Blue Cross Gases: Ths is an extremely lethal gas. Let me be very clear on how bad it is...you breath it, you die. Arsine, cyanogen chloride, cyanide, and carbon monoxide are all Blue Cross gases. When inhaled, the gases molecularly bonds with you're blood cells (let me see if I can spell this right)... Hemoglobin molecule. Basically, it bonds to the part of your blood cells that receive oxygen. You can not get air to your lungs, and if you inhale oxygen. You will "pyschologically sufficate", slowly. The skin begins to turn pale colors and you're blood turns into a bring red color, even though there's no oxygen there.... not pretty.

Arsine: This is a form of Blue Gas and hybrids from Arsenic. The effects of Arsine can show long after contact, longest being 10 days. It has a garlic-ee smell and attacks the liver, kidneys and blood stream, while most Blue Gases attack the central nercous system.

Green Cross Gases: Out of all the gases, this was the most common like chlorine, diphosgene, carbonyl chloride and phosgene. These gases targets the lungs and respatroy system. These gases would form muscuse in the lungs and attack the sensative tissue, by lining the lungs. When the tissue reacts by releasing fluids to get rid od the muscuse. but the stuff is so overwhelming, the fluids do nothing and than, 2 thigns can happen. It can either dehydrate the cells, or drown the lungs. Either way, its not a pleasant way to die.

Cholrine: Now we all know this gas. It was obsolete just after (or sometime in) WWI. This was a greenish gas (kinda of a duh). This was a really dense gas and hung closely to the ground. Since it was so heavy, it sunk into craters, trenches, bunkers, tunnel, etc and had a nasty tendency to stick around, even days after it was dispersed. This gas would attack the capillary blood vessels in the lungs and cause them to swell and exchange gases. So basically you sufficated yourself. Once again...not fun.

Disphosgene: Disphosgene is basically Chlorine... but it forms a clear liquid (and volitale). Its effects were delayed by a few hours, and didn't hang out as long as Chlorine did.

Carbonyl chloride: Carbonyl chloride works just like Disphosgene and Phosgene and has been dscribed smelling like fresh-cut grass. In an ironically twisted way, this pleasant sent doesn't mean its spring.

Yellow Cross Gases: These are more commonly known as "blister gases" as they do more external than internal damage. The gases interfere with cell division and proliferation when the cells can't be replaced. This causes servere blisters, uclers, and burns and are extremely painful. These are very difficult to heal, especialy if you're nearest shelter is some blown up house from an 88.

Distilled Mustard: Distilled-mustard is a colorless liquid with a garlic-ee odor. Non-pure mustard gas is slightly yellow. It very persistent, reamins persistent for days after its vaporization.

Nitrogen Mustard: Also known as methyl bis-amine hydrochloride, nitrogen mustard is related to distilled mustard. It is a dark-colored liquid that may stay for most of 24 hours its after release. It causes severe blisters and burns exposed skin surfaces. The effects may time soem time.

Lewisite: Lewisite is an oily fluid that is simliar to effects of nitrogen mustard. It can cause lung oedema and pneumonia, which is usually chronically debilitating and often deadly. Lewisite has a musty odor, which varies with the producer of the material, but has been really unmistakable in reality.

Tabun: Tabun is the first of the three German nerve gases. Dr. Gebhardt Schraeder discovered the chemical ethyl dimethyl amido phosphoro-cyanidate, which is also called cyanodimethylaminethoxphophine oxide (DUDE THATS A REALLY LONG WORD!) in 1936 while experimenting with organic phosphorus compounds for weed-killers (hehe planter killer with a twist!). Tabun was ten times more lethal than phosgene, previously thought to be the deadliest of war poison gases. Most other war gases at that time attack the respiratory system, leading to a long, painful death. Tabun, on the other hand, attacks the central nervous system so that the brain could no longer control the body's functions. A few minutes after exposure to the gas means a quick death. I believe the term "humane" was used once when referring to this gas... wonder why? The projected of production was 1,000 tons per month after mid-1942. Difficulties hampered production and the total production was about 15,000 tons before the Red Army overran the factory. Nothing about the plant was heard of again and it was probably dismantled and moved to Russia in 1945. All the finished product in the factory was filled into different munitions and removed before the Russian arrival. However, at the war's end about half a million artillery shells and over 100,000 aircraft bombs filled with tabun were found in German arsenals.

Sarin: Sarin is a German poison gas discovered in 1938. Properly known as isopropyl methyl phosphoro-fluoridate also called fluoroisoppropoxymethylphosphine oxide(once again....BIG), and is the second of the original nerve gases. Sarin is a slightly persistent gas. The danger of death from Sarin is over thirty times as great as that of phosgene, previously regarded as the most dangerous poison gas. One-tenth of a milligram of Sarin (equivalent to a particle the size of a large grain of sand) is enough to kill a child and three-quarters of a milligram is deadly to an adult. It has been estimated that some 250 tons would have to be distributed over a city the size of Paris to cause lethal concentrations up to an altitude of 50 feet. Over 7,000 tons of Sarin had been stockpiled. However, it is extremely difficult to mass-produce, and thus only a pilot plant existed by the war's end. No operational production was ever reached by Germany during the war. After much hardship, production of Tabun began at a special facility at Dyhernfurth on the Oder.

Soman: Soman is the third of the original nerve gases. Discovered in 1944, it was never taken out of the laboratory. The chemical is properly known as pinacolyl methyl phosphoro-fluoridate or fluoromethylpinacolyloxyphosphine(don't ya just love chemistry?) oxide. It is a persistent gas, and far more dangerous and effective than the others. If it were present in similar concentrations as the others', its effects would be far more violent and certain. Soman has the most terribel effects on its victims, and within seconds the victims would have been reduced to a state of convulsive collapse and death would be certain.

Clostridium botulinum: Clostridium botulinum was one of the many species of bacteria investigated for their potential use as secret, hard-hitting weapons of war. It can be cultured in large amounts and produces the most poisonous substance known to mankind. The toxin, botulin, is a waste product produced by the bacteria's normal metabolism. Exact estimates of the lethality of the toxin vary, but a pound or two of the toxin would be able to wipe out an enemy entirely...I'd say to hell with Zyklon B at this point...

Zyklon B: Zyklon B was a cyanide-based insecticide notorious for its use by Nazi Germany against civilians in the gas chambers of Auschwitz and Majdanek during the Holocaust. It consisted of hydrogen cyanide (prussic acid, Blausäure in German, hence B), a stabilizer, and a warning odorant that were impregnated onto various substrates, typically small absorbent pellets, fiber discs, or diatomaceous earth. It was stored in airtight containers; when exposed to air, the material released gaseous hydrogen cyanide.

Alrighty. I'll try an dget some molecular diagrams of this stuff, but it might be a little hard. You may now reusme your lives...

[Commander Waffle]

Alright, here are some molecular diagrams, coutresty of wikipedia.

Clostridium Botulium:

Phosgene:

Sarin:

Tabun:

Dipdosgene:

Lewisite:

Nitrogen Mustard:

Soman:

Distilled Mustard:

Adamsite:

[Commander Waffle]

Chlorine Gas:

Arsine:

[Pirate-Drakk]

Nice info Waffle!

Here's an experiment I did once that can kill you. I wanted clean floors in my apartment so I mixed Clorox with Ammonia. I think the result was chlorine gas and maybe something else toxic. What ever it was, it dissolved my mop into a puddle of goo, and made me gasp for breath while burning my respiratory tract! It did make for a nice clean floor but I don't suggest this chemistry experiment.

[Jim O]

Originally Posted by Pirate-Drakk

Nice info Waffle!

Here's an experiment I did once that can kill you. I wanted clean floors in my apartment so I mixed Clorox with Ammonia. I think the result was chlorine gas and maybe something else toxic. What ever it was, it dissolved my mop into a puddle of goo, and made me gasp for breath while burning my respiratory tract! It did make for a nice clean floor but I don't suggest this chemistry experiment.

There are several ways household ammonia and bleach can react. All of them are dangerous.

Reaction type 1: Ammonia directly reacts with bleach to form hydrazine (N2H4, which, in addition to being extremely poisonous, can burn even in the absence of air! It explodes on contact with rust!

2NH3 + NaOCl -----> N2H4 + NaCl + H2O

Reaction type 2: Bleach hydrolyzes into sodium hydroxide and hypochlorous acid, which in turn decompose into chlorine gas and nascent oxygen (both poisonous). The chlorine gas in turn reacts with the ammonia to form chloramines, also very poisonous.

NaOCl -----> NaOH + HOCl
HOCl ---> HCl + O (monatomic oxygen)
NaOCl + 2HCl -----> Cl2 + NaCl + H2O
2NH3 + Cl2 -------> 2NH2Cl (chloramine)
4NH3 + 2Cl2 ------> 2NHCl2 (dichloramine)
6NH3 + 3Cl2 ------> NCl3 (trichloramine or nitrogen trichloride)


In short...don't do dat!

[Commander Waffle]

Originally Posted by Jim O

There are several ways household ammonia and bleach can react. All of them are dangerous.

Reaction type 1: Ammonia directly reacts with bleach to form hydrazine (N2H4, which, in addition to being extremely poisonous, can burn even in the absence of air! It explodes on contact with rust!

2NH3 + NaOCl -----> N2H4 + NaCl + H2O

Reaction type 2: Bleach hydrolyzes into sodium hydroxide and hypochlorous acid, which in turn decompose into chlorine gas and nascent oxygen (both poisonous). The chlorine gas in turn reacts with the ammonia to form chloramines, also very poisonous.

NaOCl -----> NaOH + HOCl
HOCl ---> HCl + O (monatomic oxygen)
NaOCl + 2HCl -----> Cl2 + NaCl + H2O
2NH3 + Cl2 -------> 2NH2Cl (chloramine)
4NH3 + 2Cl2 ------> 2NHCl2 (dichloramine)
6NH3 + 3Cl2 ------> NCl3 (trichloramine or nitrogen trichloride)


In short...don't do dat!

Our teacher told us a story about soemthing like that. She was in college and her an dher roomate did an expirement where they did what you said, but didn't realize how much they were uusing...it was somewhere near 120 mL of each and ended creating a lot...luckily they were wearing masks and were doing it in a ventalited hood.

[Scout32]

Originally Posted by Pirate-Drakk

Nice info Waffle!

Here's an experiment I did once that can kill you. I wanted clean floors in my apartment so I mixed Clorox with Ammonia. I think the result was chlorine gas and maybe something else toxic. What ever it was, it dissolved my mop into a puddle of goo, and made me gasp for breath while burning my respiratory tract! It did make for a nice clean floor but I don't suggest this chemistry experiment.

I did that once cleaning bathrooms at a service station I ran before I worked at the port.I mixed ammonia and clorox in the bowl and nearly asphyxiated myself.My throat was sore for several days afterwards.

[Commander Waffle]

Originally Posted by Scout32

I did that once cleaning bathrooms at a service station I ran before I worked at the port.I mixed ammonia and clorox in the bowl and nearly asphyxiated myself.My throat was sore for several days afterwards.

Not like I was considering it, but that will be considered when get bored one day...

[Pirate-Drakk]

[quote=Jim O;18171]

Originally Posted by Pirate-Drakk

2NH3 + NaOCl -----> N2H4 + NaCl + H2O
NaOCl -----> NaOH + HOCl
HOCl ---> HCl + O (monatomic oxygen)
NaOCl + 2HCl -----> Cl2 + NaCl + H2O
2NH3 + Cl2 -------> 2NH2Cl (chloramine)
4NH3 + 2Cl2 ------> 2NHCl2 (dichloramine)
6NH3 + 3Cl2 ------> NCl3 (trichloramine or nitrogen trichloride)

Yah, that "other stuff" is just as nasty (or worse) as the Chlorine gas!

On a historical note. Gas was used first by the Germans in WWI. They radically underestimated it's effect when the Allied troops ran for their lives. The enemies had never seen gas, had no gas masks, and it terrified them. The result was that the Germans failed to support a major advance that would have been possible had they used more gas and more troops.

Once gas became available in quantity, the element of surprise had been lost, the enemy was prepared and gas became an annoyance more then an effective secret weapon.


In WWII the Germans used gas on partisans and the Jews but not on the battlefield itself. I've always been surprised that Hitler didn't put gas on the V1 and V2 bombers. It might have made the rocket attacks much more effective.

However, the Allies had a ship full of mustard(?) gas parked in a harbor in/near Italy. The ship was blown up by bombers and the gas contaminated a number (100's) of allied people. The gas was top secret so the doctors didn't know how to treat the victims of the gas "attack". (I'll try to dig this story up somewhere when I get a chance, if some one doesn't beat me to it.)

Just one of the irony's of WWII.

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by Commander Waffle

Not like I was considering it, but that will be considered when get bored one day...

Might be the last time you were bored.