UAE's need to have Preparedness and Response Plan for Chemical Terrorism Attacks - Essay Example

An individual or state is liable to face criminal charges if found guilty of trying to use toxic substances for malicious gains. Furthermore, the fight against biochemical terrorism has been boosted especially through continued support of the United Nations Organization. Despite the fact that detecting such attacks has proven to be a hard nut to crack, nations cannot just sit back and watch thinking that everything is usual. Prevention is better than cure and so there is a need to categorically shun away from this inhuman act.

It is only by coming up with adequate measures in the health sector and the intelligence service too. These are basically substances that are commonly used during military operations to kill or cause adverse injuries due to their physiological effects. Chemical effects range from nerve to blister and chocking effects. Nerve agents are very toxic warfare agents. They came to the existence during World War II. Some of these agents include GA-tabun, GB-sarin GD-soman, GF-cyclosarinand the VX-methylphosphonothoic acid.

“G” agents are non-persistent unlike the “V” agents which are persistent (Hamid & Antu, 2006). Most of the “G” agents are blended with other substances to increase their effects hence causing the total amount of the toxic substance concentration into the skin by a bigger percentage. At room temperature, it is believed that the GB is highly volatile as GA though to a lesser extent. However, VX is a non-volatile liquid and; therefore, it is not that harmful as compared to other agents.

Nerve agents are colorless and mobile liquids while others are characterized with a faint fruity like smell (Falkenrath et al., 1998). Victims who inhale GB and VX die after 15 minutes of absorption. Despite GA being less toxic as compared to GB and VX, its low concentration is more irritating to the eyes; its symptoms are often observed in the skin dosage rather than