Facts About Sulfur Mustard

Facts
About Sulfur Mustard
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What
sulfur mustard is

• Sulfur mustard
  is a type of chemical warfare agent. These kinds of agents are called
  vesicants or blistering agents, because they cause blistering of the
  skin and mucous membranes on contact.
• Sulfur mustard
  is also known as “mustard gas or mustard agent,” or by the military
  designations H, HD, and HT.
• Sulfur mustard
  sometimes smells like garlic, onions, or mustard and sometimes has no
  odor. It can be a vapor (the gaseous form of a liquid), an oily-textured
  liquid, or a solid.
• Sulfur mustard
  can be clear to yellow or brown when it is in liquid or solid form.

Where sulfur mustard is found and how it is used

• Sulfur mustard
  is not found naturally in the environment.
• Sulfur mustard
  was introduced in World War I as a chemical warfare agent. Until recently,
  it was available for use in the treatment of a skin condition called
  psoriasis. Currently, it has no medical use.

How
people are exposed to sulfur mustard

• If sulfur
  mustard is released into the air as a vapor, people can be exposed through
  skin contact, eye contact, or breathing. Sulfur mustard vapor can be
  carried long distances by wind.
• If sulfur
  mustard is released into water, people can be exposed by drinking the
  contaminated water or getting it on their skin.
• People can
  be exposed by coming in contact with liquid sulfur mustard.
• Sulfur mustard
  can last from 1 to 2 days in the environment under average weather conditions
  and from weeks to months under very cold conditions.
• Sulfur mustard
  breaks down slowly in the body, so repeated exposure may have a cumulative
  effect (that is, it can build up in the body).

How
sulfur mustard works

• Adverse
  health effects caused by sulfur mustard depend on the amount people
  are exposed to, the route of exposure, and the length of time that people
  are exposed.
• Sulfur mustard
  is a powerful irritant and blistering agent that damages the skin, eyes,
  and respiratory (breathing) tract.
• It damages
  DNA, a vital component of cells in the body.
• Sulfur mustard
  vapor is heavier than air, so it will settle in low-lying areas.

Immediate
signs and symptoms of sulfur mustard exposure

• Exposure
  to sulfur mustard is usually not fatal. When sulfur mustard was used
  during World War I, it killed fewer than 5% of the people who were exposed
  and got medical care.
• People may
  not know right away that they have been exposed, because sulfur mustard
  often has no smell or has a smell that might not cause alarm.
• Typically,
  signs and symptoms do not occur immediately. Depending on the severity
  of the exposure, symptoms may not occur for 2 to 24 hours. Some people
  are more sensitive to sulfur mustard than are other people, and may
  have symptoms sooner.
• Sulfur mustard
  can have the following effects on specific parts of the body:
  • Skin:
    redness and itching of the skin may occur 2 to 48 hours after exposure
    and change eventually to yellow blistering of the skin.
  • Eyes:
    irritation, pain, swelling, and tearing may occur within 3 to 12
    hours of a mild to moderate exposure. A severe exposure may cause
    symptoms within 1 to 2 hours and may include the symptoms of a mild
    or moderate exposure plus light sensitivity, severe pain, or blindness
    (lasting up to 10 days).
  • Respiratory
    tract: runny nose, sneezing, hoarseness, bloody nose, sinus
    pain, shortness of breath, and cough within 12 to 24 hours of a
    mild exposure and within 2 to 4 hours of a severe exposure.
  • Digestive
    tract: abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and vomiting.

What the long-term health effects may be

• Exposure
  to sulfur mustard liquid is more likely to produce second- and third-
  degree burns and later scarring than is exposure to sulfur mustard vapor.
  Extensive skin burning can be fatal.
• Extensive
  breathing in of the vapors can cause chronic respiratory disease, repeated
  respiratory infections, or death.
• Extensive
  eye exposure can cause permanent blindness.
• Exposure
  to sulfur mustard may increase a person’s risk for lung and respiratory
  cancer.

How
people can protect themselves and what they should do if they are exposed
to sulfur mustard

• Because
  no antidote exists for sulfur mustard exposure, the best thing to do
  is avoid it. Immediately leave the area where the sulfur mustard was
  released. Try to find higher ground, because sulfur mustard is heavier
  than air and will settle in low-lying areas.
• If avoiding
  sulfur mustard exposure is not possible, rapidly remove the sulfur mustard
  from the body. Getting the sulfur mustard off as soon as possible after
  exposure is the only effective way to prevent or decrease tissue damage
  to the body.
• Quickly
  remove any clothing that has liquid sulfur mustard on it. If possible,
  seal the clothing in a plastic bag, and then seal that bag inside a
  second plastic bag.
• Immediately
  wash any exposed part of the body (eyes, skin, etc.) thoroughly with
  plain, clean water. Eyes need to be flushed with water for 5 to 10 minutes.
  Do NOT cover eyes with bandages, but do protect them with dark glasses
  or goggles.
• If someone
  has ingested sulfur mustard, do NOT induce vomiting. Give the person
  milk to drink.
• Stay calm.
  Dial 911 and explain what has happened.
• Wait for
  emergency personnel to arrive.

How
sulfur mustard exposure is treated

The most important
factor is removing sulfur mustard from the body. Exposure to sulfur mustard
is treated by giving the victim supportive medical care to minimize the
effects of the exposure. Though no antidote exists for sulfur mustard,
exposure is usually not fatal.

Where
people can get more information about sulfur mustard

For more information
about sulfur mustard, people can contact the following:

• Regional
  poison control center (1-800-222-1222)
• Centers
  for Disease Control and Prevention Public Response Hotline (CDC)
  • English
    (888) 246-2675
  • Español
    (888) 246-2857
  • TTY
    (866) 874-2646
• Agency for
  Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (1-888-422-8737)