Chemical Events
Part One : Issue Overview
This is a full transcript of the online presentation. For the
presentation itself, go here. Presented
by:
Alan Becker, BHS, MPH, PhD
Chemical Surveillance Toxicologist
Division of Environmental Health
Contact Number: 850-245-4117
Hello. My name is Alan Becker and
Im an Environmental Consultant Toxicologist in the Division of
Environmental Health in the Bureau of Community Environmental Health and I
work with the Division coordinator, Preparedness coordinator and will be
speaking to you in this first section on the issue of overview of a chemical
event.
Our lives are saturated by many kinds of chemicals from pesticides too
cleaning products. Stronger chemicals, some of which have been used too
cause harm, are also used in the regular course of our society and everyday
use, some examples of those are chlorine and pesticides. Chemical warfare
agents have also been developed and maintained by many nations, although
treaties now exist to ban their use.
According to the Federal Railroad Administration there are 14,264 rail
accidents in 2002. 59 of these occurred in Florida. 704 involved cars caring hazmat
in the US and 13 hazmat
incidents in Florida.
In 1978 in Atlanta a Saint Andrews bay
railroad train derailed near Youngstown,
Florida. Chlorine gas
released from a derailed car killed eight persons and injured 138 downwind
from the incident.
In 1984 releasing of methyl isocyanate in Bhopal India
killed 3800 persons. 40 suffered permanent total disability and 2680, who lived as far as 25 miles away downwind, were
partially disabled.
In May 2003 greater than 50 tons of anhydrous ammonia escapes after
someone tapped into a pipeline in Brandon,
Florida. The leak sent
noxious fumes into a subdivision shutting down two schools.
In 1986 a fire at a chemical plant in Basel,
Switzerland released 30
tons of organophosphate pesticide, fungicide, and mercury into the Rhine River. Half a million fish,
including whole species, where wiped out. And it affected the river for
hundreds of miles. Drinking water alert for 50 million residents and it
closed water systems into the Netherlands. Chemicals
exponentially increase the destructive power of fire with no sophistication
needed.
There are several types of chemicals; two main types of chemical threats
are chemicals in the industrial chemicals and chemical warfare agents. Most
likely chemical terrorism event a deliberate industrial chemical release
due too rail, or road, or a fixed facility.
Too look more closely at how chemical events could work lets see how
they are classified. Hazards, including chemicals, are in the Department of
Transportations emergency response book. These general hazards are
classified as explosives gases flammable liquids and solids, oxidizers,
toxic materials and infectious substances, radioactive materials, corrosive
materials and these have designated placards that should be used for
transporting hazardous substances. The presence of any of these hazards can
complicate a chemical event thru fire and explosion. Since chemicals react
with their environment its important to note there context, what substance
it is, and what other substance could react with it.
Based on the situation there are three factors to consider when
responding to a chemical event, and these are listed in the Emergency
Response Guidebook. First the dangerous goods, what type and amount of
chemical are you talking about, the population threatened, the potential
number and any special population and weather conditions, the effects of
wind and possible atmospheric change. Chemical events are very susceptible
too surroundings. Close observations of these elements are essential.
Chemicals have multiple sites of exposure and portals of entry one of
the more susceptible systems is the respiratory system. Also the eyes, the
skin, and ingestion. Even more than other threats personal protection gear
is need in a chemical event. Chemical warfare agents and industrial
chemicals are both potentially harmful upon release. Various kinds of
chemical toxicity, including those which are toxic or just incapacitating.
Toxic chemicals can affect the lungs, blood, nervous system, or can act as
a vesicant causing blisters. There are several classifications for chemical
warfare agents, ah, they can cause choking, asphyxiation, an example of
this phostine, there are blister and vesicants
such as mustard gas and luicite, and blood cytochrome oxidase inhibiters,
such as, uh, hydrogen cyanide, and there also nerve ascidocholine
esterase inhibiters such as serine
and tabun and v-x.
An example of agent v-x, is odorless and colorless, it is an amber
liquid. Symptoms of onset are seconds or minutes. If a lethal
doses is absorbed symptoms can process to death, progress into death
in 15 minutes or less.
Other dangers of, particularly the respiratory as you can get infectious
bronchitis due to the, uh, affects of a respiratory, insult and, usually
occur three to five days post exposure and associated with this is fever,
elevated WBC count, and infection can also be a risk. These effects are
exasperated by exertion, compensatory mechanisms are overwhelmed. Generally
if someone is having edema associated with a respiratory insult, strict
breathes even if a symptomatic and no specific therapy exists except maintenance
of the respiratory function if needed.
In conclusion chemical events are hazardous, whether unintentional or
intentional, they are possible from industrial chemicals, pesticides,
chemical warfare agents, and commonly available, chemicals. Chemical events
would need to be located near a population center and the center, the
chemical available in a large quantity or conditions right to carry a gas
over a population center when people are normally outdoors. I liked to
thank you for your time and if you have any comments toward this
presentation Id be glad to hear from you, thank you.
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