Major Chemical Agent Facts

Arsenic is a naturally occurring element widely distributed in the Earth’s crust. In the environment, arsenic is combined with oxygen, chlorine, and sulfur to form inorganic arsenic compounds. Arsenic in animals and plants combines with carbon and hydrogen to form organic arsenic compounds. Inorganic arsenic compounds are mainly used to preserve wood. Organic arsenic compounds are used as pesticides, primarily on cotton plants.

Chlorine is one of the most commonly manufactured chemicals in the United States.  Its most important use is as a bleach in the manufacture of paper and cloth, but it is also used to make pesticides (insect killers), rubber, and solvents. Chlorine is used in drinking water and swimming pool water to kill harmful bacteria. It is also used as part of the sanitation process for industrial waste and sewage. Household chlorine bleach can release chlorine gas if it is mixed with other cleaning agents.

Cyanide is a rapidly acting, potentially deadly chemical that can exist in various forms. Cyanide can be a colorless gas, such as hydrogen cyanide (HCN) or cyanogen chloride (CNCl), or a crystal form, such as sodium cyanide (NaCN) or potassium cyanide (KCN).  Cyanide sometimes is described as having a “bitter almond” smell, but it does not always give off an odor, and not everyone can detect this odor.  Cyanide is also known by the military designations AC (for hydrogen cyanide) and CK (for cyanogen chloride).

Ammonia is a toxic gas or liquid that, when concentrated, is corrosive to tissues upon contact.  Exposure to ammonia in sufficient quantities can be fatal. One of the highest production-volume chemicals in the U.S., concentrated ammonia is used in manufacturing, refrigeration, and agriculture (as a fertilizer). Household ammonia is much less concentrated; it rarely causes burns, but it does cause irritation. The lowest level at which humans can detect the odor of ammonia (odor threshold) generally provides sufficient warning of exposure; however, persons with prolonged exposure to ammonia will lose their ability to detect the odor (olfactory fatigue). Ammonia commonly exists as part of a solution.

Sarin is a nerve agent that is one of the most toxic of the known chemical warfare agents.  It is generally odorless and tasteless. Exposure to sarin can cause death in minutes. A fraction of an ounce (1 to 10 mL) of sarin on the skin can be fatal. Nerve agents are chemically similar to organophosphate pesticides and exert their effects by interfering with the normal function of the nervous system.