Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism: TICs & TIMs

Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism
Training Support Package
Participant Guide
Module Six
Terrorism through Fear & Uncertainty: Delayed Toxic
Syndromes - Administration Page
Exposure to some chemicals is characterized by a delayed onset of toxicity which may make
them attractive for use as a covert weapon. This delay of onset of symptoms complicates the
epidemiology of the event, making detection and identification of the chemical (figuring out the
cause of the problem and source), response and clinical management significantly more
difficult.
More people may be exposed to delayed-onset toxins and the individual’s dose may be larger,
given the relative absence of warning properties to indicate exposure. In acute-onset toxins,
most people will escape when they realize that others around them are developing symptoms. If
however, no one is becoming ill, no one realizes they are being poisoned…and thus, no one
takes the necessary measures to limit exposure.
Chemical agents with a delayed onset can be organized and separated based on route/scenario
of exposure. Some are airborne (phosgene), food and waterborne (thallium, organomercurials,
radionuclides/radioactive metals), and environmental/biopersistent agents (dioxin, PCBs).
Treatment depends on rapid identification and intervention and strategies will vary based on the
class of chemical agent used.
Duration
45 minutes
Scope Statement
This module will introduce industrial chemical toxins which, due to their delayed onset of
symptoms, may make them likely to be used as a covert weapon by terrorists. A framework is
provided for organizing and separating these chemical agents based on their route of delivery
and likely scenarios of exposure, as well as relevant toxidromes.
Terminal Learning Objective (TLO)
• Understand the unique threat posed by exposure to chemicals which
are manifested by delayed onset of symptoms.
Enabling Learning Objectives (ELO)
Resources
• Recognize that exposure to some chemical agents does not result in
the immediate onset of symptoms.
• Describe the major chemical agents that may cause delayed toxic
syndromes.
• Differentiate between clinical presentations of various delayed-onset
syndromes from these chemicals.
Each of the eight course modules is deployed as an interactive, instructor-lead, MS PowerPoint
presentation containing didactic content, historical examples, and selected case studies. All
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