Фосген (Phosgene)

Phosgene is a highly toxic chemical that was first used as a poison gas during the First World War.

Phosgene is a colorless gas with the smell of hay dust and has an asphyxiating effect. Entering the human body through the respiratory system, phosgene interacts with the moisture of the lungs, forming hydrochloric and acetic acids, which cause irritation and swelling of the lung tissue.

Symptoms of phosgene poisoning do not appear immediately, but several hours after exposure. Victims experience difficulty breathing, coughing, and chest pain. Without timely treatment, pulmonary edema progresses, leading to pulmonary and heart failure and can cause death.

The use of phosgene as a chemical weapon in World War I resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of soldiers. Despite the cruelty and inhumane use of this gas, it was actively used in military operations until the end of the war. Today, the production and use of phosgene as a weapon is prohibited by international conventions.

Phosgene is a colorless, non-flammable solid with a melting point of 34 C, odorless. The chemical formula of phosgene is COCl2. This gas is the world's first nerve gas. It was first used in aerosol form in 1915 during a World War I British gas attack against the French at Ypres. The cinder consisted of a mixture of unsymmetrical dichloroethane and black sulfur. Phosgene caused pallor, lacrimation, severe nausea, vomiting, coughing and even wheezing.