injuries and poisoning
Incendiary Agents and Hydrogen Fluoride (HF)
Introduction
There are many types of Overview of Chemical-Warfare Agents that affect different parts of the body. Military incendiary agents are chemicals that are designed to illuminate the battlefield, to start fires, and to create smoke to obscure terrain and personnel. Agents include thickened gasoline (napalm), thermite, white phosphorus, and magnesium. Any of these compounds can cause mass casualties. Napalm has a jelly-like consistency. The other incendiary agents are usually weaponized as powdered solids. Many incendiary agents are used in exploding projectiles or bombs. White phosphorus may continue to burn on skin or clothing as long as it is exposed to air. Because magnesium can burn under water, it will continue to burn within tissue. Hydrofluoric acid (HF), used in industry and in other commercial applications, is often confused with hydrochloric acid (the acid used in swimming pools). For this reason, it is referred to as HF. HF can exist at room temperatures as a liquid or a vapor. The most common routes of exposure are through the skin, eyes, and lungs. HF penetrates deeply through the skin. In addition to causing severe burns and pain, HF can cause a serious imbalance of body chemicals ( Overview of Electrolytes ) that sometimes causes an abnormal heart rhythm and death. 