Table 1.
Example of chemicals, biomarkers of exposure and health effects.
| Chemical | Biomarker | Sample | Health effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nerve Agents | Red blood cell or serum cholinesterase EEG changes | Whole blood | Diffuse muscle cramping, runny nose, difficulty breathing, eye pain, dimming of vision, sweating, muscle tremors, loss of consciousness, seizures, flaccid paralysis. |
| Cyanides | Cyanide or thiocyanate | Blood or urine | Giddiness, palpations, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, headache, eye irritation, increase in rate and depth of breathing (hyperventilation), drowsiness, loss of consciousness, convulsions and death. |
| Vesicants/Blister Agents | Thiodiglycol | Urine | Burning, itching, red skin, mucosal irritation, shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting |
| Ricin | Ricinine | Urine, respiratory secretions, serum, and direct tissue | Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, chest tightness, coughing, weakness, nausea, fever |
| Benzene | Benzene, Phenol | Blood, exhaled air, urine | Confusion, sleepiness, rapid pulse, loss of consciousness, anemia, damage to the nervous system, suppression of the immune system, carcinogenic, death |
| Carbon monoxide (CO) | Hematologic biomarkers of coagulation and inflammation. | Blood | Tissue hypoxia, headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, blurred vision, cardiac arrhythmias, myocardial ischemia, cardiac arrest, hypotension, respiratory arrest, noncardiogenic pulmonary edema, seizures, and coma. |
| Nitrogen dioxide | Nitrate, pentane | Urine, breath | Wheezing, coughing, colds, flu and bronchitis |
| Sulfur dioxide | S-sulfonate | Blood | Lung function changes, life-threatening |
| Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) | PAH metabolites | Urine | Pulmonary, gastrointestinal, renal, and dermatologic systems, carcinogenic |
| Organic Gases (Volatile Organic Compounds—VOCs) | VOC’s or metabolites | Breath, blood, urine | Allergic sensitization or asthmatic symptoms, carcinogenic |