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Acta Medica Iranica 2011Sulfur mustard gas is one of the chemical warfare gases that roughly about 45000 soldiers continue to suffer long-lasting consequences of exposure during the Iran-Iraq...
Sulfur mustard gas is one of the chemical warfare gases that roughly about 45000 soldiers continue to suffer long-lasting consequences of exposure during the Iran-Iraq war between 1980 and 1988. According to the common pulmonary lesions due to this gas exposure, we studied gross and microscopic pulmonary lesions in cadavers and also assessed the main causes of mortality caused by mustard gas exposure. A case-series study was performed on hospital record files of 100 cadavers that were exposed with documented sulfur mustard gas during the Iran-Iraq war from 1979 to 1988 and autopsied in legal medicine organization In Tehran between 2005 and 2007 and gross and microscopic pathological findings of autopsied organs such as hematological, pulmonary, hepatic, and renal changes were evaluated. All cases were male with the mean age of 43 years. The time interval between the gas exposure and death was almost 20years. The most frequent pulmonary complication was chronic bronchitis in 81% of autopsied cadavers. Other pulmonary findings were progressive pulmonary fibrosis (9%), pulmonary infections and tuberculosis (29%), malignant cellular infiltration (4%), and aspergilloma (1%). According to the chronic progressive lesions caused by mustard gas exposure such as pulmonary lesions and also its high mortality rate, suitable programming for protection of the gas exposed persons and prohibiting chemical warfare are recommended.
Topics: Adult; Cadaver; Female; Humans; Iran; Iraq; Lung; Male; Mustard Gas; Warfare
PubMed: 21713733
DOI: No ID Found -
Analytical Methods : Advancing Methods... Jun 2023Sulfur mustard (SM) is an important chemical warfare agent (CWA) and has been used frequently in various conflicts. It is important to develop a facile, rapid, sensitive...
Sulfur mustard (SM) is an important chemical warfare agent (CWA) and has been used frequently in various conflicts. It is important to develop a facile, rapid, sensitive and selective detection method for SM. In this work, we constructed a novel fluorescent probe PCS capable of generating active sensing species for rapid and selective detection of SM and its simulant CEES (2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide). PCS exhibits excellent chemical and photostability and can generate reactive species for rapid (within 90 s, at 60 °C) and selective detection of SM and CEES in solution with high sensitivity (∼nM level). Moreover, PCS could enable the detection of mustards . A test strip with PCS and KOH was prepared and realized the sensitive and selective detection of CEES in the gas phase. In addition, the PCS probe can realize facile and rapid detection of CEES-contaminated surfaces by spraying its sensing system (ethanol solution containing PCS and KOH). The sensing mechanism was well demonstrated through the separation and characterization of the sensing product.
Topics: Mustard Gas; Fluorescent Dyes; Chemical Warfare Agents
PubMed: 37264865
DOI: 10.1039/d3ay00350g -
Journal of Protein Chemistry Feb 1996Mustard gas, bis(2-chloroethyl)sulfide, treatment of proteins is shown to generate significant amounts of covalently crosslinked protein dimers. This is due to the...
Mustard gas, bis(2-chloroethyl)sulfide, treatment of proteins is shown to generate significant amounts of covalently crosslinked protein dimers. This is due to the preferential alkylation of cysteine residues. Crosslinking does not occur in the model protein staphylococcal nuclease, which has no cysteine residues. Treatment of cysteine-containing mutants of staphylococcal nuclease with this chemical warfare agent did result in crosslinking. However, these dimers are slowly cleaved back to monomers by an unknown mechanism. The alkylation and crosslinking of cysteine-containing proteins by mustard gas may contribute to its toxicity.
Topics: Alkylation; Chromatography, Gel; Cross-Linking Reagents; Cysteine; Micrococcal Nuclease; Mustard Gas; Proteins
PubMed: 8924198
DOI: 10.1007/BF01887394 -
Clinical Infectious Diseases : An... Mar 2012
Topics: Decontamination; Humans; Mustard Gas
PubMed: 22198789
DOI: 10.1093/cid/cir962 -
Toxicology Oct 2005Sulphur mustard is one of the major chemical warfare agents developed and used during World War I. Large stockpiles are still present in several countries. It is... (Review)
Review
Sulphur mustard is one of the major chemical warfare agents developed and used during World War I. Large stockpiles are still present in several countries. It is relatively easy to produce and might be used as a terroristic weapon. Sulphur mustard is a vesicant agent and causes cutaneous blisters, respiratory tract damage, eye lesions and bone marrow depression. The clinical picture of poisoning is well known from the thousands of victims during World War I and the Iran-Iraq war. In the latter conflict, sulphur mustard was heavily used and until now about 30,000 victims still suffer from late effects of the agent like chronic obstructive lung disease, lung fibrosis, recurrent corneal ulcer disease, chronic conjunctivitis, abnormal pigmentation of the skin, and several forms of cancer. Despite enormous research efforts during the last 90 years, no specific sulphur mustard antidote has been found. The prospering knowledge and developments of modern medicine created nowadays new chances to minimize sulphur mustard-induced organ damage and late effects.
Topics: Chemical Warfare Agents; Humans; Mustard Gas; Poisoning
PubMed: 16084004
DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2005.06.014 -
Nano Letters Sep 2022Plasmonic nanostructures have attracted increasing interest in the fields of photochemistry and photocatalysis for their ability to enhance reactivity and tune reaction...
Plasmonic nanostructures have attracted increasing interest in the fields of photochemistry and photocatalysis for their ability to enhance reactivity and tune reaction selectivity, a benefit of their strong interactions with light and their multiple energy decay mechanisms. Here we introduce the use of earth-abundant plasmonic aluminum nanoparticles as a promising renewable detoxifier of the sulfur mustard simulant 2-chloroethylethylsulfide through gas phase photodecomposition. Analysis of the decomposition products indicates that C-S bond breaking is facilitated under illumination, while C-Cl breaking and HCl elimination are favored under thermocatalytic (dark) conditions. This difference in reaction pathways illuminates the potential of plasmonic nanoparticles to tailor reaction selectivity toward less hazardous products in the detoxification of chemical warfare agents. Moreover, the photocatalytic activity of the Al nanoparticles can be regenerated almost completely after the reaction concludes through a simple surface treatment.
Topics: Aluminum; Chemical Warfare Agents; Mustard Gas; Nanoparticles; Photochemistry
PubMed: 36073653
DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c03188 -
Translational Vision Science &... Nov 2020This pilot study investigated the in vivo therapeutic potential and tolerability of a multimodal ophthalmic formulation, topical eye drops (TED), for acute mustard gas...
PURPOSE
This pilot study investigated the in vivo therapeutic potential and tolerability of a multimodal ophthalmic formulation, topical eye drops (TED), for acute mustard gas keratopathy (MGK) using a rabbit model.
METHODS
Twenty New Zealand White rabbits were used. Only right eyes of 18 rabbits (oculus dexter [OD]) received single sulfur mustard gas (SM) vapor injury, whereas contralateral eyes were left untreated or received TED for tolerabilty evaluation. Two rabbit eyes received no treatment and served as age-matched naive control. The four groups were: Naive (oculus sinister [OS] untreated eyes; n = 9); TED (OS treated only with TED BID for 3 days; n = 9); SM (OD exposed to SM vapor; n = 9); and SM+TED (OD exposed to SM+TED BID for 3 days; n = 9). Ocular examination in live rabbits were performed utilizing slit-lamp biomicroscopy, Fantes grading system, fluorescein staining, Schirmer's tests, pachymetry, and applanation tonometry. Cellular and molecular changes in rabbit corneas were assessed after humane euthanasia on day-3 and day-7 with histopathological and real-time polymerase chain reaction PCR techniques.
RESULTS
TED to rabbit eyes was found tolerable in vivo. SM-exposed eyes showed significant increase in Fantes scores, central corneal thickness (CCT), Schirmer's test, epithelium-stroma separation, and corneal edema. TED mitigated clinical symptoms by reducing corneal edema, Fantes scores, CCT, and Schirmer's test. Further, TED decreased SM-induced corneal haze, inflammatory and profibrotic markers, transforming growth factor-TGF-β1 and cyclooxygenase-2COX-2, and damage to corneal structure, including epithelial-stromal integrity.
CONCLUSIONS
The developed multimodal eyedrop formulation, TED, has potential to mitigate acute MGK effectively in vivo.
TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE
TED is effective against MGK.
Topics: Animals; Cornea; Corneal Diseases; Corneal Edema; Mustard Gas; Pilot Projects; Rabbits
PubMed: 33200047
DOI: 10.1167/tvst.9.12.6 -
Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift (1946) Feb 1951
Topics: Lymphogranuloma Venereum; Mustard Gas
PubMed: 14828855
DOI: No ID Found -
Chinese Journal of Traumatology =... 2014Skin is the first organ exposed to sulfur mustard (SM). The mechanism of SM-induced cutaneous injury has not been fully clarified so far, which is a major obstacle to... (Review)
Review
Skin is the first organ exposed to sulfur mustard (SM). The mechanism of SM-induced cutaneous injury has not been fully clarified so far, which is a major obstacle to the development of effective treatments for SM-induced injury. So far, there is no satisfactory therapy for acute symptoms and long-term complications. This review summarized recent researches on the mechanisms of SM-induced cutaneous injuries and the therapies for acute symptoms and long-term complications.
Topics: Humans; Mustard Gas; Skin
PubMed: 25471431
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of Chromatography. A Oct 2018Sulfur mustard (SM) is the most utilized chemical warfare agent in modern history and has caused more casualties than all other chemical weapons combined. SM still poses...
Sulfur mustard (SM) is the most utilized chemical warfare agent in modern history and has caused more casualties than all other chemical weapons combined. SM still poses a threat to civilians globally because of existing stockpiles and ease of production. Exposure to SM causes irritation to the eyes and blistering of skin and respiratory tract. These clinical signs of exposure to SM can take 6-24 h to appear. Therefore, analyzing biomarkers of SM from biological specimens collected from suspected victims is necessary for diagnosis during this latent period. Here, we report a rapid, simple, and direct quantitative analytical method for an important and early SM biomarker, sulfur mustard oxide (SMO). The method includes addition of a stable isotope labeled internal standard, SMO extraction directly into dichloromethane (DCM), rapid drying and reconstitution of the extract, and direct analysis of SMO using gas chromatography-chemical ionization-mass spectrometry. The limit of detection of the method was 0.1 μM, with a linear range from 0.5 to 100 μM. Method selectivity, matrix effect, recovery, and short-term stability were also evaluated. Furthermore, the applicability of the method was tested by analyzing samples from inhalation exposure studies performed in swine. The method was able to detect SMO from 100% of the exposed swine (N = 9), with no interferences present in the plasma of the same swine prior to exposure. The method presented here is the first of its kind to allow for easy and rapid diagnosis of SM poisoning (sample analysis <15 min), especially important during the asymptomatic latency period.
Topics: Animals; Biomarkers; Chemical Warfare Agents; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Limit of Detection; Mustard Gas; Oxides; Reproducibility of Results; Sulfur Compounds; Swine
PubMed: 30170867
DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2018.08.035