One hundred years of chemical weapons

Abstract

Taking into account the fact that the year 2015 marks the anniversary of the use of chemical weapons, we have considered interesting that Anales de Química would include a summary addressing the implications of the use of this type of chemical weapons throughout these hundred years. We explain how the various gases were used in the First World War, and how other more lethal gases were discovered, over the space of time between the two World Wars, which have continued being used up to today. We point out how the “Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons”, OPCW, was established in 1997 and how it has allowed to reach agreements for destruction of chemical weapons stored by different countries. Such agreements, without respecting the deadline of 2012, are being achieved in a high percentage. However, the destruction in most cases is not easy, therefore should also prevent the formation of toxic waste.