Issues in chemical and biological terrorism.
This manuscript describes the overview presented at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the American College of Toxicology in 2002. Although it is recognized that weapons of mass destruction that can be used against our military and civilian populations include chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) agents, this overview is limited primarily to chemical and biological (CB) agents. The issues of CB terrorism are discussed in terms of When, What, How, and Who. The US Army has been providing chemical and biological solutions since 1917, and has since 1996 applied these solutions to homeland defense and domestic preparedness. The use of chemical and biological agents as terrorist weapons both in the United States and elsewhere in the world is reviewed. The CB threat spectrum is presented, as is the further categorization of biological threat agents by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In addition, the CB agents considered to be a potential threat to our water supply are also presented. These are agents that are water soluble, stable, and resistant to water treatment and/or disinfection. The overview concludes with the chronological accomplishments of ECBC since 1917.
Salem
Harry
H
Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21010, USA. harry.salem@us.army.mil
D001694:Biological Warfare / Q000266:history / Q000639:trends*; D023482:Bioterrorism / Q000266:history / Q000639:trends*; D002618:Chemical Warfare / Q000266:history / Q000639:trends*; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000266:history; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D011634:Public Health; D012637:Security Measures; D014481:United States
D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents