Course Overview
This Chemistry of Chemical warfare agents training course, designed by CBRN Academy, will enable participants to obtain the required knowledge and information regarding the chemistry of chemical warfare agents (CWA). The course has been designed for people who may be required to respond to such critical incidents or events. The course covers an introduction to the main types of chemical warfare agents and includes the following study.
- Chemical structure,
- Physical and chemical properties of chemical agents,
- Reaction mechanisms,
- Reactivity hazards,
- Decomposition hazards, toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic,
- Human risk factors,
- Biochemical mechanisms of chemical agents, d
- Decontamination and detoxification reactions,
- Environmental chemistry, and
- Neutralisation reactions.
Course Objectives and outcomes.
At the end of this course, the participants will be able to gain the required information and knowledge regarding:
- Definition of chemical weapons.
- OPCW chemical schedule lists.
- Classes and types of chemical warfare agents.
- Consider the sources of chemical agents. Support participants to learn about the primary substances of chemical agents to identify and control natural sources and industrial materials that terrorists may use as chemical weapons in their countries.
- Structure of chemical agents, including chemical symbols, bond types formula and stoichiometry.
- Reaction mechanisms. Provide information about the synthesis and reaction mechanisms of chemical warfare agents.
- Physical and chemical properties.
- Toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics.
- Chemical agents’ hazards such as reactivity and decomposition hazards.
- Decontamination and detoxification reactions.
- Environmental chemistry.
- Neutralisation reactions of chemical agents.
- Disseminating methods.
Course Outlines
Module (01) Introduction
1.1 What are chemical weapons?
1.2 Classes and types of chemical agents.
1.3 Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons chemical schedule lists.
Module (02) Reactions of chemical agents
2.1 Sources of chemical agents.
2.2 Chemical name, symbols, formulas and CAS number.
2.3 Chemical structure and bond types.
2.4 Reaction mechanisms and conditions.
Module (03) Characteristics of CWA
3.1 Chemical properties.
3.2 Physical properties.
3.3 Environmental factors.
Module (04) Toxicology
4.1 Toxicokinetic.
4.2 Toxicology mechanisms of chemical agents.
4.3 Toxicokinetic Parameters.
4.4 Airborne exposure limits.
4.5 Acute exposure guideline levels.
4.6 Toxicity exposure value estimation.
4.7 Hazard severity ranges.
4.8 Bio-transportation of warfare nerve agents.
4.9 Toxidrome recognition in chemical weapons attacks.
4.10 toxic industrial chemicals (TICs/TIMs).
4.11 Industrial applications of TICs.
4.12 Case study: TICs and terrorism.
Module (05) Reactivity
5.1 Reactivity hazards.
5.2 Decomposition hazards: hydrolysis and combustion hazards.
5.3 Stability.
5.4 Storage stability.
5.5 Persistency.
5.6 Additional hazards.
Module (06) Environmental chemistry of chemical agents
6.1 Environmental fate processes: hydrolysis, absorption, evaporation, photodegradation, and biodegradation.
6.2 Interaction with soil systems.
6.3 Environmental residues and degradation products.
6.4 Bio-degradation hazards.
6.5 Drinking water contamination.
6.6 Air contamination.
6.7 Effects of environmental conditions: temperature, humidity and rainfall.
6.8 Persistence of CWA under different weather conditions.
6.9 Case study: Kuwait.
Module (07) Decontamination and detoxification reactions
7.1 Decontamination reactions.
7.2 Detoxification reactions.
7.3 Decontamination by-products.
7.4 Detoxification by-products.
7.5 Rheological properties of decontamination chemicals.
Module (08) Disseminating methods
8.1 Disseminating phases of chemical warfare agents.
8.2 Case study: Iraq, Syria, and Tokyo.
Module (09) Neutralisation of chemical agents
9.1 Neutralisation reactions and conditions.
9.2 Mass balance calculations.
9.3 Residues of the neutralisation processes.
9.4 Limitations of neutralisation efficiency.
Module (10) CWA interaction
10.1 Mechanisms of surface contamination and physical interactions.
10.2 Interaction with materials.
Intended recipients and min max numbers
This course is suitable for;
- Emergency First Responders,
- Hospital Staff,
- HAZMAT teams,
- Military Fire and Rescue Services,
- Public Health Professionals,
- Law Enforcement, other such emergency first responders who may be required to deal with dangerous chemical agents.
Course Certification
Your CBRN Academy instructor will issue a signed certificate of training completion to all successful participants at the end of the course. To qualify for the official Certificate, the student must attend and complete all assessments and score 80% or more.
Course Methodology
Classroom lectures, scenarios, case studies, videos, presentations, self-learning, and participant engagement.
