Brief overview of chemical terrorism and its consequences
Abstract
The article deals with chemical terrorism as a current security risk and its possible impacts on population and infrastructure. It also discusses aspects and implementation of biological, radiological, and nuclear terrorism. The 1995 attack by sarin in the Tokyo underground is briefly mentioned. The effects of chemical warfare agents and chemical toxic substances and the possibilities of their abuse by terrorists are thoroughly discussed. Based on computer modeling of impacts of attacks by chemical toxic substances, the authors present opinions on their possible abuse for acts of terrorism. They also discuss methods of protecting against chemical attacks used in the Czech Republic such as protective masks or new therapy after nerve gas attacks. Novel technical means of decontamination after an act of chemical terrorism are also considered.