An Introduction to Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Threat Agents

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An Introduction to Chemical, Biological, and
Radiological Threat Agents Prepared for National
Cooperative Highway Research Program Transportatio
n Research Board, National Research
Council Prepared by Science Applications
International Corporation McLean, VA, tel.
[phone] As part of 20-59(19) Transportatio
n Response Options Scenarios of Infectious
Diseases, Biological Agents, Radiological,
Chemical and Other Hazardous Materials A Guide
to Transportations Role in Public Health
Disasters Revised September, 2005
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF SPONSORSHIP This work was
sponsored by the American Association of State
Highway and Transportation Officials, in
cooperation with the Federal Highway
Administration, and was conducted in the National
Cooperative Highway Research Program, which is
administered by the Transportation Research Board
of the National Research Council. DISCLAIMER This
is an uncorrected draft as submitted by the
research agency. The opinions and conclusions
expressed or implied in the report are those of
the research agency. They are not necessarily
those of the Transportation Research Board, The
National Research Council, the Federal Highway
Administration, the American Association of State
Highway and Transportation Officials, or the
individual states participating in the National
Cooperative Highway Research Program.
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An Introduction to Chemical, Biological, and
Radiological Threat Agents
Revised September 2005
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The question is, what levels of insanity do we
have to prepare for? -- Joshua Lederberg, Nobel
laureate
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Contents

• Descriptions, effects, detection, and general
  responses to
• Chemical threats (Slides 7-14)
• Biological threats (Slides 15-24)
• Radiological threats (Slides 25-32)

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Summary Comparison
AGENTS SUMMARY CHARACTERISTICS SUMMARY CHARACTERISTICS SUMMARY CHARACTERISTICS
AGENTS Time To Effects Potential Impact Availability
BIO Days to Weeks Local to Global Low
RAD Minutes to Hours City to Region Medium
CHEM Seconds to Hours City Blocks High
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CHEMICAL THREAT AGENT FUNDAMENTALS
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Chem-Agent Effects and Treatment
Chem-agents may be solid, liquid, or gas.
HEALTH EFFECTS
Disorientation Dizziness Nausea Blindness Serious Injury Immobilization Death
MITIGATION
Minimize exposure Avoid chemical cloud Cover face to filter breathing Get medical attention Skin decontamination Antidote
Some have no antidote!
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Types of Chem-Agents
Some chem-agents are persistent, many are not
persistent

• Persistent chemicals
• remain on surfaces without evaporating or
  breaking down for more than 24 hours
• can remain for days to weeks
• Non-persistent chemicals
• quickly evaporate and break down
• carried in bulk on commercial carriers

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Types of Chem-Agents
Chem-agents are commonly classified by the type
of harm they cause.

• Nerve Agents disrupt nervous system, causes
  paralysis, fatal quickly
• Blister Agents destroy skin and tissues, cause
  blindness, may be fatal
• Choking Agents lung fills with fluid,
  cause choking, quick or delayed
  fatality
• Blood Agents interferes with oxygen at
  the cellular level, fatal
  quickly
• Riot-Control Agents skin and breathing
  irritations, rarely fatal

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Exposure Pathways
Typical exposure path varies with chemical type
Typical path Possible path --
Unlikely path
Chemical Agent Pathway Pathway Pathway
Chemical Agent Inhalation Ingestion Skin or Eye Contact
Nerve
Blister --
Choking --
Blood -- --
Riot-Control --
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Chem-Agent Dose
Lethal doses vary among different Chem-agents
Chemical Agent 100 Lethal Air Dose Quantity 100 Lethal Air Dose Quantity 100 Lethal Air Dose Quantity
Chemical Agent Domed Stadium Movie Theater Boeing 747-400
Nerve 13 Gallons 2 ½ Cups 1.3 ounces
Blister 338 Gallons 4 Gallons 1 Quart
Choking 780 Gallons 9 Gallons 2.3 Quarts
Blood 520 Gallons 6 Gallons 1.5 Quarts
Riot-Control 1820 Gallons 21 Gallons 5.3 Quarts
Note A barrel holds 44 gallons tanker trucks
carry 1,000 to 12,000 gallons rail cars carry in
excess of 20,000 gallons.
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Chem-Agent Detection

• Some can be seen
• Some can be smelled
• Some can be tasted
• Most can be felt (e.g. burning
  sensation, choking)
• All can be detected by appropriate instruments

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Chem-Agent Response

• Call in hazmat team
• Identify chemical agent
• Isolate and contain affected area
• Evacuate and shelter-in-place public
• Provide needed medical treatment
• Cleanup contaminated area

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BIOLOGICAL THREAT AGENT FUNDAMENTALS
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The Bio-Agent Threat

• Causes disease and death by inhalation,
  ingestion, or skin contact
• Some are Contagious! (transferred from
  person-to-person)

• Many multiply in the body
• Symptoms may be delayed

• Some agents have NO vaccine
• Some survive dormant in the environment for weeks
  to years

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Types of Bio-Agents

• BACTERIA
• Single-celled organisms
• Can reproduce
• Antibiotic treatment
• VIRUSES
• Live inside cells
• Need host to reproduce
• Vaccine and antiviral treatments
• BIOTOXINS
• Non-living (cant reproduce)
• Produced by organisms
• Antidote treatment

Anthrax (Bacteria)
Ebola (Virus)
Ricin (Toxin)
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Bio-Agent Delivery
Attacks can be overt or covert method of
delivery is important!

• Overt -- Provides notice, creates panic
• aircraft, bombs, missiles
• Covert -- NO notice spread may be unchecked for
  days!
• Spray fine mist (e.g., into HVAC)
• Spread on food, water, surfaces (e.g., mail,
  vehicles)
• Contagious people and animals

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Bio-Agent Dose

• A tiny amount of Bio-Agent can be very potent!
• Inhalation of 1 to 500 bacteria or viruses
  can cause sickness and death.
• 100,000 bacteria fit on a pin head
• 400 million virus fit on a pin head
• Inhalation of 0.000002 to 4.8 micro grams of a
  biotoxin can cause sickness
• A sand grain weighs 170 to 13,000 micrograms

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Bio-Agent Detection

• Bio-Agents are identified through symptoms or
  through time-consuming tests, because they cannot
  be

• Seen
• Heard
• Smelled

• Felt
• Detected quickly by instruments

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Bio-Agent Indicators
Since bio-agents are difficult to detect, it is
critical to note indicators!

• Many patients with same illness at the same time
• Symptoms unusual for age
• Type of infection rare to region
• Dead animals before humans

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Bio-Agent Response

• Identify Bio-Agent(s), source, area affected,
  population exposed
• Notify local medical facilities
• Isolate and contain affected areas and population
• Treat -- provide vaccine or medications to the
  affected population
• Decontaminate affected areas and population
• Follow-on Treatment -- continue medical treatment
  as appropriate

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Bio-Agent Decontamination

• Physical removal-HEPA vacuum
• Liquid decontamination
• Foam decontamination
• Emulsions
• Fumigants
• Different approaches for different situations,
• and multiple approaches for most situations.

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RADIOLOGICAL THREAT AGENT FUNDAMENTALS
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Artificial Sources of Radiation
Only artificial sources pose a significant threat.

• Medical Equipment
• Radiopharmaceuticals
• Industrial instruments
• Food irradiation facilities
• Nuclear research laboratories
• University research reactors
• Nuclear weapons
• Nuclear power plants

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Measuring Radiation
Radiation has unique measurement units.
Curie Amount of material
16
8
Curies
4
2
Time
Half-Life Time for decay to ½ the original amount
Rem Absorbed dose
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Shielding from Radiation
Radiation radiates in all directions and bounces
of surfaces. Protective shielding varies with
the type of radiation.
a
Skin, paper, 1 to 4 inches of air
Alpha
Less than ¼ inch metal, glass, concrete, 1 to 18
feet air
ß
Beta
2 to 12 inches lead, 3 to 18 inches steel, 1 to 6
feet of concrete
?
n

Gamma or Neutron
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Radiation Detection

• Can not be seen
• Can not be smelled
• Can not be tasted
• Can not be felt
• Can be rapidly detected by instruments!

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Protection from Radiation
Three rules for protection from radiation
1. Minimize Time
2. Maximize Distance
3. Maximize Shielding
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Indications of a Radiological Event
Explosions and symptoms of high radiation doses
indicate a radiological attack.

• Explosive release of fine powder
• or solid material
• Skin reddening
• Headaches
• Nausea vomiting
• Hair loss
• Weakened immune system

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Radiation Response
There are guidelines for first responder entry,
sheltering, evacuating, and relocating people.
Radiological Event
gt 0.01 Rem/hour
First Responders Stay Out
gt 10 Rem/hour
Shelter
0.1 Rem lt 24-Hour Dose lt 5 Rem
Evacuate
24-Hour Dose gt 5 Rem
Relocate
Annual Dose gt 2 Rem
Average annual radiation dose is 0.5 rem per
year A typical single medical x-ray dose is
around 1 rem
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Response to a Radiological Event

• Identify presence of radiation
  beyond normal background
• Isolate and contain affected area -- mitigate
  spread of contamination
• Shelter-in-place or evacuate depending on dose
  rates
• Provide needed immediate medical
  treatment

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An emergency system thats dusted off and used
only during a rare event isnt going to
work. -- Tara OToole, Johns Hopkins