• Knowledgebase: Biological & Chemical Warfare and Terrorism

    Answers to questions about Biological and Chemical terrorism and warfare.

    10. What is Mustard Gas? - Top

    from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts49.html

    What is mustard gas?
    Pronounced mus'terd gas)

    Mustard gas refers to several manufactured chemicals including sulfur mustard. They do not occur naturally in the environment. The term gas is in quotes because mustard gas does not behave as a gas under ordinary conditions.

    Mustard gas is really a liquid and is not likely to change into a gas immediately if it is released at ordinary temperatures. As a pure liquid, it is colorless and odorless, but when mixed with other chemicals, it looks brown and has a garlic-like smell.

    Mustard gas was used in chemical warfare and was made in large amounts during World Wars I and II. It was reportedly used in the Iran-Iraq war in 1984–1988. It is not presently used in the United States, except for research purposes. The U.S. Secretary of Defense has been instructed to destroy all remaining stocks of lethal military chemical agents including mustard gas by 1997.

    What happens to mustard gas when it enters the environment?

    The only way that mustard gas would enter the environment would be through an accidental release.
    Some evaporates from water and soil into air.
    We do not know what happens to it in the air.
    It does not easily go into water, and the amount that does breaks down quickly.
    It is more stable in soil than in water but still breaks down within days, depending on the outside temperature (cold weather makes it more stable).
    It does not go from soil to groundwater.
    Mustard gas does not build up in the tissues of animals because it breaks down so quickly.
    How might I be exposed to mustard gas?

    Mustard gas is no longer made in the United States.
    The general public is not exposed to mustard gas.
    Exposure is limited to those near or at the few military storage sites where this substance is stored.
    Exposure could occur from accidents at these military storage sites.
    Occupational exposures are currently limited to soldiers in combat; those involved in its shipment, storage, or disposal; and construction workers at storage sites.
    How can mustard gas affect my health?

    Mustard gas is a chemical warfare agent that can cause skin burns and blisters and damage the respiratory tract. Mustard gas burns your skin and causes blisters within a few days. It is particularly harmful to the skin around sweaty parts of the body. It is also more harmful to the skin on hot, humid days, or in tropical climates. Mustard gas makes your eyes burn, your eyelids swell, and causes you to blink a lot.

    If you breathe mustard gas, it can cause coughing, bronchitis, and long-term respiratory disease. If you are exposed to a large amount of mustard gas, you can eventually die from it.

    Mustard gas did not cause birth defects or affect reproduction in rats that breathed it. We do not know if mustard gas can cause birth defects or affect people's ability to reproduce.

    How likely is mustard gas to cause cancer?

    The Department of Health and Human Services has determined that mustard gas is a known carcinogen.

    Human studies have shown an increased incidence of lung cancer in factory workers who made mustard gas, and animal studies have shown tumors from exposure to mustard gas in the air.

    Is there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to mustard gas?

    There is no effective medical test to determine if you have been exposed to mustard gas.

    A breakdown product of mustard gas can be measured in urine, but this chemical can also be found in people who have not been exposed to mustard gas.

    Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health?

    The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that any accidental discharges or spills of mustard gas into the environment of 1 pound or more must be reported to the EPA.

    The Department of Defense (DOD) has set a limit for the maximum concentration in air of 0.1 micrograms mustard gas per cubic meter of air (0.1 mg/m3 ) for a 72-hour exposure for the general population. For workers, the limit is 3 mg/m3 for an 8-hour exposure and 30 mg/m3 for a 1-hour exposure to smoke or gasses released into the air.

    Glossary

    Carcinogen: A substance that can cause cancer.

    Evaporate: To change into a vapor or a gas.

    Ingesting: Taking food or drink into your body.

    Microgram (mg): One millionth of a gram.

    Tumor: An abnormal mass of tissue.

    - Updated: October 22, 2001

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    • James L Horwitz, MD

    David C. Thomas, MD

    Barbara Lindberg, PNP