Determination of PNEC for selected decontaminants based on seed germination and vigor indexes of terrestrial plants / Wyznaczenie wartości PNEC dla wybranych odkażalników w oparciu o indeksy kiełkowania i wigoru roślin lądowych

Abstract

The Chemical Warfare Agents (CWA) are defined as any toxic substances used to kill, injure or incapacitate an enemy during military operations [Sanderson et al. 2007]. The CWA differ in structure and toxic properties. They include broad class of chemical compounds like: nerve agents (tabun, soman, sarin, VX), blistering agents (nitrogen-and sulfur mustard, lewisite), pulmonary agents (chlorine, chloripicrin, phosgene, diphosgenenitrogen oxides), blood agents (cyanides, arsines) and incapacitating agents (LSD-25, ketamine, fentanyl, carfentanil) [Salem et al. 2008, Shannon et al. 2006]. The CWA have been used in several military conflicts but their use reached a peak during the World War I, when the French were the first to use these as tear gases (ethyl bromoacetate, chloroacetone). It was followed by the use of o-dianisidine chlorosulphonate, chloroactetate, chlorine, hydrogen cyanide, diphenylchloroarsine ethyl-and methyldichloroarsine and sulfur mustard [Chauchan et al. 2008, Szinicz 2005]. The consequence of this military operation was the death of nearly 10 000 people and over million casualties. Before World War II, the CWA were still stockpiled by many countries but the CWA were not used in the field due to the fear of mas-Determination of PNEC for selected decontaminants based on seed germination and vigor indexes of terrestrial plants Wyznaczenie wartości PNEC dla wybranych odkażalników w oparciu o indeksy kiełkowania i wigoru roślin lądowych