Chemical warfare agent

A toxic chemical intended for use in warfare to kill, injure, or incapacitate. Such agents can act through inhalation, skin contact, or ingestion.

Nerve agent: A chemical warfare agent that disrupts nervous-system signaling, often by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase. Nerve agents are a major class, including compounds designed for rapid poisoning.
Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor: A substance that blocks acetylcholinesterase, causing acetylcholine to accumulate at nerve junctions. Many nerve agents produce poisoning by blocking this enzyme.
Second Battle of Ypres: A 1915 battle in Belgium in which German forces used chlorine gas on a large scale. The attack marked a major early use of chemical agents in World War I.
Atropine: A medication that blocks muscarinic acetylcholine receptors and treats several effects of nerve-agent poisoning. It is a key antidote for excessive cholinergic activity after nerve-agent exposure.
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons: The international organization that implements the Chemical Weapons Convention and verifies its requirements. The OPCW inspects facilities and oversees declared chemical-weapons destruction.
Blister agent: A chemical warfare agent that damages skin, eyes, and airways, often causing blisters and tissue injury. Blister agents injure exposed tissues rather than primarily disrupting nerve signaling.
Inhalation: The entry of a substance into the respiratory tract through breathing. Breathing contaminated air can deliver agents rapidly to the body.
Haber–Bosch process: An industrial method for synthesizing ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen. Industrial chemical production helped make large-scale supplies of toxic compounds feasible.
Pralidoxime: A medication that can reactivate acetylcholinesterase inhibited by certain organophosphorus compounds if given promptly. It may restore enzyme activity after some nerve-agent poisonings.
Chemical weapons disarmament: The reduction and elimination of chemical weapons through destruction, prohibition, and verification. Disarmament addresses the stockpiles and capabilities associated with warfare agents.

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