Toxic blister agents: Chemistry, mode of their action and effective treatment strategies

Since their use during the First World War, Blister agents have posed a major threat to the individuals and have caused around two million casualties. Major incidents occurred not only due to their use as chemical warfare agents but also because of occupational hazards. Therefore, a clear understanding of these agents and their mode of action is essential to develop effective decontamination and therapeutic strategies. The blister agents have been categorised on the basis of their chemistry and the biological interactions that entail post contamination. These compounds have been known to majorly cause blisters/bullae along with alkylation of the contaminated DNA. However, due to the high toxicity and restricted use, very little research has been conducted and a lot remains to be clearly understood about these compounds. Various decontamination solutions and detection technologies have been developed, which have proven to be effective for their timely mitigation. But a major hurdle seems to be the lack of proper understanding of the toxicological mechanism of action of these compounds. Current review is about the detailed and updated information on physical, chemical and biological aspects of various blister agents. It also illustrates the mechanism of their action, toxicological effects, detection technologies and possible decontamination strategies.

Automated summary

Blister agents have been a major threat to individuals since the First World War, causing significant casualties. Understanding their chemistry and toxicological mechanisms is crucial for developing effective decontamination and therapeutic strategies. While decontamination solutions and detection technologies have been developed, there is still a lack of proper understanding of the toxicological mechanism of action of these compounds.