An Introduction to

Chemical, Biological, and

Radiological Threat
Agents
DANGER
TOXIC
CHEMICALS
 Summary Comparison

SUMMARY CHARACTERISTICS
AGENTS Time To Potential Availability
Effects Impact
Days to Local to
BIO Low
Weeks Global

Minutes to City to
RAD Medium
Hours Region

Seconds to City
CHEM High
Hours Blocks
 DANGER
TOXIC
CHEMICALS

CHEMICAL THREAT
AGENT FUNDAMENTALS
DANGER Chem-Agent Effects
TOXIC
CHEMICALS and Treatment
Chem-agents may be solid, liquid, or gas.
HEALTH EFFECTS MITIGATION
• Disorientation 1. Minimize exposure:
• Dizziness • Avoid chemical cloud
• Nausea • Cover face to filter
• Blindness breathing

• Serious Injury 2. Get medical attention:

• Immobilization • Skin decontamination

• Death • Antidote

Some have no antidote!

DANGER
TOXIC
Types of Chem-Agents
CHEMICALS

Some chem-agents are persistent,

many are not persistent
Persistent chemicals
• remain on surfaces without evaporating or
breaking down for more than 24 hours
• can remain for days to weeks
Non-persistent chemicals
• quickly evaporate and break down
• carried in bulk on commercial carriers
 DANGER
TOXIC
Types of Chem-Agents
CHEMICALS

Chem-agents are commonly classified

by the type of harm they cause.
1. Nerve Agents – disrupt nervous system,
causes paralysis, fatal quickly
2. Blister Agents – destroy skin and tissues,
cause blindness, may be fatal
3. Choking Agents – lung fills with fluid,
cause choking, quick or delayed fatality
4. Blood Agents – interferes with oxygen at
the cellular level, fatal quickly
5. Riot-Control Agents – skin and breathing
irritations, rarely fatal
 DANGER
TOXIC Exposure Pathways
CHEMICALS

Typical exposure path varies with chemical type

++ Typical path + Possible path -- Unlikely path
Pathway
Chemical Agent
Skin or Eye
Inhalation Ingestion
Contact
Nerve ++ + ++
Blister + -- ++
Choking ++ -- +
Blood ++ -- --
Riot-Control ++ -- ++
 DANGER
TOXIC
Chem-Agent Dose
CHEMICALS

Lethal doses vary among different Chem-agents

100% Lethal Air Dose Quantity

Chemical
Agent Domed Stadium Movie Theater Boeing 747-400
Nerve 13 Gallons 2 ½ Cups 1.3 ounces
Blister 338 Gallons 4 Gallons 1 Quart
Choking 780 Gallons 9 Gallons 2.3 Quarts
Blood 520 Gallons 6 Gallons 1.5 Quarts
Riot-Control 1820 Gallons 21 Gallons 5.3 Quarts
Note: A barrel holds 44 gallons; tanker trucks carry 1,000 to 12,000 gallons;
rail cars carry in excess of 20,000 gallons.
 DANGER
TOXIC Chem-Agent Detection
CHEMICALS

• Some can be seen

• Some can be smelled
• Some can be tasted
• Most can be felt (e.g. burning
sensation, choking)
• All can be detected by appropriate
instruments
 DANGER
TOXIC
Chem-Agent Response
CHEMICALS

• Call in hazmat team

• Identify chemical agent
• Isolate and contain affected area
• Evacuate and shelter-in-place public
• Provide needed medical treatment
• Cleanup contaminated area
BIOLOGICAL THREAT
AGENT
FUNDAMENTALS
 The Bio-Agent Threat

• Causes disease and death by

inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact
• Some are Contagious! (transferred
from person-to-person)
• Many multiply in the body
• Symptoms may be delayed
• Some agents have NO vaccine
• Some survive dormant in the
environment for weeks to years
 Types of Bio-Agents

1. BACTERIA
– Single-celled organisms Anthrax
– Can reproduce (Bacteria)
– Antibiotic treatment

2. VIRUSES
– Live inside cells Ebola
– Need host to reproduce (Virus)
– Vaccine and antiviral
treatments

3. BIOTOXINS Ricin
– Non-living (can’t reproduce) (Toxin)
– Produced by organisms
– Antidote treatment
 Bio-Agent Delivery

Attacks can be overt or covert –

method of delivery is important!

Overt -- Provides notice, creates panic…

➢aircraft, bombs, missiles
Covert -- NO notice; spread may be unchecked for days!
➢Spray fine mist (e.g., into HVAC)
➢Spread on food, water, surfaces (e.g., mail, vehicles)
➢Contagious people and animals
 Bio-Agent Dose
A tiny amount of Bio-Agent can be very potent!

• Inhalation of 1 to 500 bacteria or viruses

can cause sickness and death.
– 100,000 bacteria fit on a pin head
– 400 million virus fit on a pin head
• Inhalation of 0.000002 to 4.8 micro grams of a
biotoxin can cause sickness
– A sand grain weighs 170 to 13,000 micrograms
 Bio-Agent Detection
Bio-Agents are identified through symptoms or
through time-consuming tests, because they
cannot be:

– Seen – Felt

– Heard – Detected quickly by

instruments

– Smelled
 Bio-Agent Indicators
Since bio-agents are difficult to detect, it
is critical to note indicators!

• Many patients with same

illness at the same time
• Symptoms unusual for age

• Type of infection rare to region

• Dead animals before humans

 Bio-Agent Response

• Identify: Bio-Agent(s), source, area

affected, population exposed
• Notify local medical facilities
• Isolate and contain affected areas
and population
• Treat -- provide vaccine or
medications to the affected
population
• Decontaminate affected areas and
population
• Follow-on Treatment -- continue
medical treatment as appropriate
 Bio-Agent
Decontamination

• Physical removal-HEPA vacuum

• Liquid decontamination
• Foam decontamination
• Emulsions
• Fumigants
Different approaches for different situations,
and multiple approaches for most situations.
RADIOLOGICAL THREAT
AGENT FUNDAMENTALS
 Artificial Sources of
Radiation
Only artificial sources pose a significant threat.
• Medical Equipment
• Radiopharmaceuticals
• Industrial instruments
• Food irradiation facilities
• Nuclear research laboratories
• University research reactors
• Nuclear weapons
• Nuclear power plants
 Measuring Radiation

Radiation has unique measurement units.

Curie 16

Amount of

Curies
8
material 4
2

Time
Half-Life
Rem Time for decay to ½
Absorbed the original amount
dose
 Shielding from
Radiation
Radiation radiates in all directions and
bounces of surfaces. Protective shielding
varies with the type of radiation.
α Skin, paper, 1 to 4 inches of air
[Alpha]

β Less than ¼ inch metal, glass,

concrete, 1 to 18 feet air
[Beta]
2 to 12 inches lead, 3 to 18
γn inches steel, 1 to 6 feet of
[Gamma or concrete
Neutron]
 Radiation Detection

• Can not be seen

• Can not be smelled
• Can not be tasted
• Can not be felt

• Can be rapidly detected by

instruments!
 Protection from Radiation

Three rules for protection from radiation:

1. Minimize Time

2. Maximize Distance

3. Maximize Shielding
 Indications of a
Radiological Event
Explosions and symptoms of high radiation
doses indicate a radiological attack.
• Explosive release of fine powder
or solid material
• Skin reddening
• Headaches
• Nausea & vomiting
• Hair loss
• Weakened immune system
 Radiation Response
There are guidelines for first responder entry,
sheltering, evacuating, and relocating people.
> 0.01 Rem/hour Radiological Event

> 10 Rem/hour First Responders Stay Out

0.1 Rem < 24-Hour Dose < 5 Rem Shelter

24-Hour Dose > 5 Rem Evacuate

Annual Dose > 2 Rem Relocate
Average annual radiation dose is 0.5 rem per year
A typical single medical x-ray dose is around 1 rem
 Response to a
Radiological Event

• Identify presence of radiation

beyond normal background
• Isolate and contain affected area --
mitigate spread of contamination
• Shelter-in-place or evacuate
depending on dose rates
• Provide needed immediate medical
treatment