This document provides an overview of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats. It describes the hazards posed by chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials including chemical poisoning, biological illnesses, radiological illness, and effects of nuclear detonation. It also defines weapons of mass destruction and provides examples of nuclear, radiological, biological, and chemical weapons and their means of use throughout history during war, accidents, and by terrorists.

1. Chemical, Biological,
Radiological and Nuclear
(CBRN) Threats
Overview
BY
JONILS MACWAN
BRC DIVISION
MEDICAL DEAPRTMENT
SNS/MD/PRTN

2. WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
INTRODUTION
CBRN’ is the abbreviation commonly used to describe the
malicious use of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and
Nuclear materials or weapons with the intention to cause
significant harm or disruption. The hazard posed by these
materials varies:
Chemical Poisoning or injury caused by chemical
substances, including traditional (military) chemical warfare
agents, harmful industrial or household chemicals.
Biological Illnesses caused by the deliberate release of
dangerous bacteria or viruses or by biological toxins (e.g.
ricin, found in castor oil beans).
Radiological Illness caused by exposure to harmful
radioactive materials.
Nuclear Life-threatening health effects caused by exposure
to harmful radiation, thermal or blast effects arising from a
nuclear detonation.

3.  DEFINITION:
The U.S. The department of defense (DOD) define, WMD as “
Weapons that are capable of a high order of a destruction and/ or
being used in such a manner as to destroy large number of people.
WMD can be high explosives or nuclear, biological, chemical and
radiological weapons, but exclude the means of transporting or
propelling the weapon where such means is a separate and divisible
part of the weapon.”
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

4.  NUCLEAR AND RADIOLOGICAL
 BIOLOGICAL
 CHEMICAL
TYPES OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

5.  Dropping of atom bombs at Hiroshima & Nagasaki during world war –II
 Chemical attack by Iraqis on khurds during Iran- Iraq war
DURING WAR
BY ACCIDENT
• The gas leakage at the Union Carbide factory at Bhopal.
• The nuclear accident at Chernobyl in Ukraine
BY TERRORISTS
• The chemical gas attack in Tokyo subway
• The Sept 11 attack at NewYork, USA
WHEN WMD CAN BE USED

6. Pressure
Wave
Flame
Front
Blast Winds
NUCLEAR AND RADIOLOGICAL

7.  The US started its Manhattan project to convert the theories
of nuclear fission into a viable military weapon begun in 1942.
 On 16th July 1945,the first fission device was set off in the
New Mexico desert near a place called Alamogordo in US.
 On 6th Aug 1945, the world's first atomic bomb was used and
dropped in Hiroshima in Japan by US during world war II.
 The first fussion device was detonated on 31st Oct 1952 by US.
 The Soviet union announced on 8th Aug 1953 that it too had
detonated a fussion device.
 On 18th may 1974 India tested its first atomic device.
 On 11th may 1998 India tested its atomic weapon.
 On 28th may1998 Pakistan tested its first atomic weapon.
HISTORY OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

8. proton neutron electron
Atoms consist of
three basic
particles: protons,
electrons, and
neutrons. The
nucleus (center) of
the atom contains
the protons
(positively charged)
and the neutrons
(no charge). The
outermost regions
of the atom are
called electron
shells and contain
the electrons
(negatively
charged).
ATOMIC STRUCTURE

9. Radiation: The process of emitting
energy in the form of waves or
particles.
Where does radiation come from?
Radiation is generally produced
when particles interact or decay.
A large contribution of the radiation
on earth is from the sun (solar) or
from radioactive isotopes of the
elements (terrestrial).
Radiation is going through you at
this very moment!
http://www.atral.com/U238.html
RADIATION

10. Alpha






Beta
Gamma and X-rays
Neutron
Paper Plastic Lead Concrete
1
0n
TYPES OF RADIATION

11.  Accident during transport of radioactive material
 Discovery of an orphan source
 Loss of a source from a radiation facility
 Deliberate acts
TYPES OF EMERGENCIES

12. To Minimize radiation dose
Time: Decrease Period of Exposure
Distance: Increase the Distance
Shielding: Use Shielding
Time, Distance and Shielding

13. NUCLEAR POWER:
Tarapur
Rawatbhata
Kalpakkam
Narora
Kakrapar
Kaiga
USES OF NUCLEAR ENERGY

14. HEAT
35%
RADN
15%
BLAST
50%
ENERGY
DISTR
CAS DISTR
BLAST
35%
RADN
15%
HEAT
50%
DISTRIBUTION OF ENERGY AND CASUALTY IN NUCLEAR BLAST

15. HOW TO DETECT OR MEASURE REDIATION

16.  If one is caught in the open when a nuclear
device explodes one should immediately .
 Drop to the ground and face downwards.
 Close eyes and mouth .
 Protect ears with the thumb after covering
the eyes with the palm.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

17.  Keep hands under the body ,if unprotected .
 Remain prone until all effects of the explosion have
passed and the debris stops falling .
 Count till five .If one is alive one will survive.
 Move under cover /shelter or evacuate upwind of the
suspected area .
 If inside buildings and the incident is outside ,one must
stay inside ,turn off the air conditioners and seal the
windows and doors with plastic tape .
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

18. CHEMICAL WEAPONS

19. -Chemical warfare agents are chemical
substances designed to kill, seriously
injure, or incapacitate humans and
animals or
-Any chemical which are used for
other than peaceful work i.e to create
panic, terror among people/society.
-There is no safe chemicals only
ways for using them.
CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENTS

20.  CWA are normally man made through use of industrial chemical
processes.
 First use of chemical agents began with small use of Irritant (known as
riot control agents) ie French troops use tear gas grenades against
German Positions in 1914 (world war –I)
 22 April 1915 - German military used chlorine gas against Allied
trenches in Ypres ,Belgium .
 1983- Iraq begins using chemical warfare agents, including mustard ,in
the Iran- Iraq war (1980-1988)
 20 May 1995- Aum Shinrikyo releases sarin nerve agent in the Tokyo
subway ,killing 12 people and injuring about 1,000.
BRIEF HISTORY OF CWA

21. Blister Agents
- Sulfur Mustards , Nitrogen Mustards, Arsenicals
Nerve Agents
 G Agents
 (Sarin GB, Soman GD, Tabun GA)
 V- Agents (VX)
Blood Agents
- Hydrogen Cyanide, Cyanogen chloride
Choking Agents
- Chlorine, Phosgene

22.  Generally liquid
 Disseminated as aerosol or gas
 Respiratory and skin contact hazard
 May be detectable by smell (except pure agents have no
odor)
 Influenced by weather conditions – persist for months under
snow
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENTS

23. Indicators Of Possible CW Use
 Withering of vegetation, yellowing of leaves
 Dead or dying animals and insects.
 Multiple victims, serious illness, nausea,
disorientation, suffocation, convulsions, and
definite casualty pattern.
 Pools or puddles of unusual droplets, oily
film
 Characteristic odour (garlic-like for SM)
 Low flying clouds/fog unrelated to weather.
 Suspicious devices/packages, metal
debris,abandoned spray devices / munitions.

24. Eyes
Skin
Ingestion
Injection
ROUTES OF CWA ENTRY IN OUR BODY

25.  Running nose, breathing problem, dimmed vision,
increased salivation, vomiting, giddiness, headache
and excessive sweating, pinpointing of pupils and
Involuntary urination.
 Dizziness, headache, anxiety, paralysis, cardiovascular
collapse.
SYMTOMS OF CWA POISONING

26.  Poor man’s nuclear bomb
Agents are relatively easy to manufacture
Large amount not needed in enclosed spaces
WMD incident difficult to recognize
 Can impact large areas
Psychological trauma
Can overwhelm existing resources
WHY CWA AGENTS ARE MORE USED IN WAR?

27. DISSEMINATION OF CW AGENTS
• LETTERS , PACKAGES
• INSECTS, ANIMALS
• CONTAMINATED CLOTHINGS
• FOOD, WATER
• SPRAY, PRESSURISED CANS
• BURSTING AND EXPLOSIVE
DEVISES

28. Detection
Protection
Decontamination
Training
Medical Physical
collective individual
respiratory
body
NBC AGENTS DEFENCE

29.  Impermeable suit
 Face mask
 Canisters
 Impermeable hand gloves
 Impermeable Shoes
 Inner hand gloves
 Spare canisters/hand gloves
 Permeable protective gears
PROTECTION DEVICES

30. -ICAD : blood, blister, nerve and choking agents
- CAM : blister and nerve agents
- AP2C : blister and nerve agents
- NAIAD : nerve agents and HCN
- PGC : nerve and blister agents
ALARM DETECTORS FOR CW AGENTS

31. •
NERVE AGENTS POISONING
- ATROPINE SULPHATE
- PRALIDOXIME CHLORIDE
- -PRALIDOXIME CHLORIDE
ATROPINULPHATE
-PRALIDOXIME CHLDE
-DIAZEP
MUSTARD POISONING
-NO SPECIFIC ANTIDOTE
-TREATMENT SIMILAR TO BURN INJURIES
-SKIN DECONTAMINATION WITH PDK
-STERILE PETROLEUM JELLY EYE LIDS
MEDICAL PROTECTION

32. BLOOD AGENTS POISONING
- AMYL NITRITE
- SODIUM NITRITE
- SODIUM THIOSULPHATE
LUNG INJURANTS POISONING
- SYMPTOMATIC
- CODIENE
- ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY
MEDICAL PROTECTION

33. Toxic chemicals

Harmless products
Degradation/Detoxification
DECONTAMINATION

34.  Reduce Casualties
 Resumption of normal activity
AIM OF DECONTAMINATION

35.  PDK-I & PDK-II
 Decontaminants
Fuller’s earth, Water,
Bleach, DS2, etc
 Portable decon apparatus
 Hoses, cleaning jets,
personnel showers
 Polythene sheets
DECONTAMINATON DEVICES

36. Bhopal Tragedy

37.  On the night of Dec 2,1984,Bhopal and its
environs fell victims to the worst industrial
accident.
 Approx 40 tons of the highly toxic industrial
chemical Methyl isocynate(MIC) escaped from
the two underground storage tanks,
blanketing the highly concentrated
population in an invisible choking cloud and
affected about 5 mile wide perimeter
BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY

38.  Methyl iso cynate was used to manufacture
the insecticide carbaryl, marked under the
commercial name ”sevin” in the plant.
 The Govt reported that 3800 people dead,40
people were left with permanent total
disabilities and 2680 people were left with
permanent partial disabilities.
 Damage to renal (Kidney), respiratory,
reproductive and sensory systems.
BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY

39.  Direct the people to move away from the site of disaster in
a direction opposite to the direction of the prevailing wind.
 Inform the police and the fire department for help.
 Intimate regarding the nature of the contaminant and
characteristics, if any.
 Intimate the symptoms of the casualties.
 Advise people to cover their faces with wet cloth.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY FIRST RESPONDERS

40.  Advise the people to cover the exposed portions of their
body and scrub them with earth or mud .
 Advise the people to wash their eyes ,face and exposed
parts of the body with soap and water.
 Advise people to get undercover .
 Assist in segregating serious casualties .
 Assist the more affected people to take off their clothes and
scrub with soap and water.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY FIRST RESPONDERS

41. BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS

42. Biological weapons (BW) are micro organisms like virus,
bacteria and fungi that give rise to disease and when
deliberately dispersed in an area can incapicitate, reduce
resistance and even cause mortality to humans, domestic
animals and crops.
BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS

43. Disease/Agent Stage Route of
infection
Possible release
Anthrax
Bacillus anthracis
Spores Skin wounds,
Inhalation,
ingestion
Spores as
aerosol
Plague
Yersinia pestis
Bacteria Fleas
Aerosol
Aerosolization or
release of infected
fleas
Tularaemia
Francisella tularensis
Bacteria Aerosol Aerosolization of the
bacteria
Glanders
Burkholderia mallei
Bacteria Aerosol Aerosolization of
the bacteria
Cholera
Vibrio cholerae
Bacteria Oral Contamination of food
water sourses
Small Pox
Variola major
Virus Aerosol Aero solization of
virus

44.  After the terrorist attacks on the world Trade center and Pentagon on
Sept 11,2001. Four anthrax laced letters were mailed from Trenton , New
Jersey, to the New York Post, the NBC Television studies in New York ,and
senators Tom Daschle and Patrick leaky . A fifth letter sent to American
Media .Inc was apparently discarded after being opened .
 An estimated total of 10 grams of spores were contained in the letters ,
leading to 22 anthrax cases in four states .
 I) New York, New Jersey , Florida and Connecticut) and district of
Columbia .
 II) Victims were infected from in lavatory anthrax (five of these died )
US ANTHRAX ATTACK -2001

45.  Awareness
 Training
 Equipment
 Resources
 Planning
 Exercises
PREPAREDNESS IS THE KEY TO COMBAT NBC THREAT