Weapons of mass

destruction
 CONTENT STANDARD:

The learners demonstrate an

understanding of implications of
Weapons of Mass Destruction:
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

The students will be able to:

1. Discuss the different kinds of weapons of mass
destruction (MWD);
2. Identify the effects of these WMD both to humans and
environment;
3. Propose actions or policies to regulate the use of
WORD BANK: MWD.

Weapons of Mass Destruction, biowarfare, chemical weapon of

mass destruction
Weapons of destruction in Hiroshima, Japan in August 1942

• Downed several civilians during its bombing

• Weapon making is part of country’s activities
• A symbol of Power and Strength of a country
• It undergoes evolution just any other piece of technology
• Used against invaders, terrorist and even against those who have evil
minds to inflict harm for no apparent reason.

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 Pls. Click the me!

WEAPON
Is a device that is designed to be used in
fighting an enemy of war to cause bodily
harm to another or defend oneself from
attackers ( Cambridge University Press,
2018)
WEAPONS OF
MASS
DESTRUCTION
(MWD)
  Term used to describe different kinds of weapons with two (2)
important characteristics:

1). The ability to produce large-scale destruction.

2). They do not choose who they want to attack which affect usually the civilians.

THREE MAJOR TYPES OF MWD ACCORDING TO LAURA REED

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Author is licensed under  Nuclear weapons
CC BY-SA
 Chemical Warfare Agents
 Biological Warfare Agents

But in addition, other analysts include radiological materials as well as

missile technology and delivery systems such as aircraft and ballistic
missiles.

Possession of MWD is a great threat to all nations and aggravated if it falls

in the hands of terrorists.

CC BY-SA
Author is licensed under
This Photo by Unknown
 4 KINDS:
1. Biological Weapon of Mass Destruction
 Uses harmful biological agent (such as pathogenic microorganism, maybe a virus or bacteria) to cause
death or disease on a large scale (Merriam Webster, 2018)

2. Chemical Weapon of Mass Destruction

 Containing any several chemical compounds like chlorine gas, of which some are toxic agents, that are
intended to kill, injure or incapacite an enemy (Scheinder, 2018)

3. Nuclear Weapon of Mass Destruction

 Weapon combining radiological materials with a conventional explosive device (Schneider, 2018).
They are considered as the greatest weapons of mass destruction over created because they are capable
of releasing large amounts of energy by splitting the atoms of highly enriched uranium or plutonium in
a process called fission or reaction.

4. Radiological Weapon of Mass Destruction

 Devices that spread dangerous radioactive materials that is wrapped around a conventional explosive
to spread toxic radiation.
BRIEF HISTORY OF WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION
COUNTR WEAPONS OF MASS
DATE DESTRUCTION EVENT
Y
429 BC Spartan Toxic tumes are created from burnt Peloponnesian War
pitch and sulphur (chemical)

256 AD Persia Sulphur crystals and bitomen are used Persian Invasion of
against the Roman (chemical) Roman Empire

950- 1279 AD China Arsenic smoke is used in battle Battle during China’s
(chemical) Sung Dynasty

1346- 1347 Mongol Corpses contaminated with plague are Siege of Calfa
catapulted over walls forcing besieged
Genoans to flee ( biological)
 1456 Serbia Rags dipped into poison are ignited to Turk Invasion of Belgrade
create a toxic cloud (biological)

1710 Russia Plague- infected corpses are hurted over The Great Northern War
the walls of Reval (now Tallinn, Estoria)
where Swedish forces were barricaded
(biological)
1754- 1767 Britain Blankets used to wrap British smallpox, French- Indian War
victims are given to hostile Indian tribes
(biological)
1914 France, France first uses tear gas in grenades World War I
Germany and Germany retaliates with tear gas in
artillery shells (chemical)
1915- 1918 England, Used of chlorine gas in battle (chemical) World War I
France,
Germany
1918 Germany Anthrax and equine disease (glanders) World War I
are used to infect livestock and feed for
export to allied forces (biological);
Phosgene and chloropierin shells are
used against American forces
 1919 Britain Use of Adamasite against the Russian Civil War
Bolsheviks (chemical)

1922- 1927 Spain Chemical weapons are used against Rit Rit War
rebels in Spanish Morocco (chemical)

1936 Italy Mustard gas is used against Italian- Abyssinia War

Abyssinians (chemical)

1937 Japan An ottensive biological weapons Inception of Biological

program uses prisoners in human Warfare “unit 731”
experiments (biological)
1939 Japan Soviet water supply is poisoned with Nomonian Incident
intestinal typhoid bacteria at the former
Mongolian border (biological)
1940 Japan Rice and wheat mixed with plague World War II
carrying fleas are dropped over China
and Manchuna (biological)
1942 Germany Nazis began using Zyklon (hydrogen World war II
cynide) in gas chambers for the mass
number of concentration camp
prisoners ( chemical)
1945 Germany A large reservoir in Bohemia is World War II
poisoned with sewage (biological)

1945 United States Two atomic bombs are dropped on Japan World War II
one on Hiroshima and one on Nagasaki
(nuclear)
1962- 1970 United States Tear gas and four types of defoliant, Vietnam War
including Agent Orange are used in
Vietnam (chemical)
1963- 1967 Egypt Chemical Weapons are used against Yemen War
Yemen (chemical)

1970’s South Africa Anthrax and cholera are provided to Rhodesian Bush War
Rhodesian troops for used against guerrilla
rebels (biological)
1975- 1983 Soviet Union Alleged use of Yellow Rain Cold War
( trichothecene mycotoxins) by Soviet by
Soviet- backed forces in Laos and
Kampuchea (chemical)
1983- 1988 Iraq Mustard gas hydrogen cyanide and nerve Iran- Iraq War
agent tatum are used against Iran and the
Kurds (chemical)
 Biological
Weapon of  Used of biological weapons or bioweapons is believed to have been
Mass used since the ancient world in 1. 50- 0 B.C.
Destruction  The Hittites of Asia Minor recognized the power of contagious diseases
and sent plague victims into enemy lands. Military men catapult
(Biowarfare)
diseased corpses into fort of enemies and poisoning their source of
water.
 Some historians have even argued that the 10 biblical plagues Moses
called upon against the Egyptians may have been more of a biological
warfare rather than the acts of a vengeful of God ( Lamb, 10 Scariest
Bioweapons, 2017)
 Advances in medical science have led to great understanding of harmful
pathogens and the way the immune systems deal with them and the
development of vaccinations and treatments. On the contrary, man also
was able to developed destructive biological agents.
 Biological  Today, biological weapons outlawed under 1972’s Biological Weapons
Weapon of Convention and the Geneva Protocol. But while a number of nations
Mass have long destroyed their stockpiles of bioweapons and ceased
Destruction research into their proliferation, the threat remains. There are many
means in which, bioweapons are spread such as sending an infected
(Biowarfare)
person to enemy troops, sending paper bags full of plague infested fleas
or throwing an infested blanket into enemy land.
1). Smallpox is caused by the variola virus.
Signs:
 High fever
 Body aches
 Rash (develops from fluid-filled bumps and when healed it produces
scabs to permanent, pitted scars)
 Easily spreads through direct contact with an infected person’s skin or
bodily fluids, also through the air in closed, confined areas and
contaminated snail mail.
 Biological  The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classifies
Weapon of smallpox as a Category A biological weapon due to its high mortality
Mass rate and it can be easily transmitted through air.
Destruction  In 1967, the World Health Organization (WHO) conducted massive
vaccination to eradicate smallpox.
(Biowarfare)  1997 marked the last naturally occurring case of smallpox and the
disease was effectively eliminated worldwide, but laboratory copies of
smallpox still exist both Russia and the United States as approved by
WHO.
 Antidote for smallpox include proper medical management for affected
patients is advised by following the supportive care such as:
 The patient should be isolated until all scabs has fallen off (about 3-4
weeks after rash onset) to prevent transmission of the virus.
 Maintain fluids and electrolyte balance to avoid dehydration.
 Give medications for fever complications and treat them immediately.
 Vaccination is needed to prevent severe transmission of smallpox and
in case of death, corpse should be cremated.
 Biological  Health Workers should wear protective clothing, face mask and gloves
Weapon of and these should be properly disposed or sterilized.
Mass  Pregnant Women should not receive smallpox vaccination, and women
Destruction should be advised against becoming pregnant for 4 weeks after
smallpox vaccination
(Biowarfare)
(Aneela Naureen Hussain, 2015)

2. Anthrax one of the deadliest and most feared agent of biological

weapon.
 It is caused by a bacterium called Bacillus antracis that is found naturaly
in some animals in low levels but when its spores are inhaled by
humans, it become deadly.
 Its killing power was tested by by British scientists during the Second
World War on a tiny Scottish island to wipe out a flock of sheep. The
sheep started dying three days later.
 Biological  Experts revealed that spraying a city of 100kg of anthrax can kill more
Weapon of than 3M population. Its affects after seven days of inhalation and death
may occur if not treated.
Mass  Symptoms are fever, malaise, fatigue, coughing, internal bleeding,
Destruction blood poisoning or even meningitis.
(Biowarfare)  In 2001, letters containing a curious while powder began spreading up
at U.S. Senate offices and media outlets with an anthrax. It infected 22
people and killed five.
 Antidote for Anthrax infection include large doses of intravenous and
oral antibiotics, such as fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin), doxycycline,
erythromycin, vancomycin, or penicillin.

3. Ebola Virus is a killer virus that cause hemorrhagic fevers marked by

severe bleeding.
 Hit the news in the late 1970’s as it spread through Zaire and Sudan,
killing hundreds. Later outbreaks came across Africa, Europe and the
United States.
 Biological  Ebola got its name from the Ebola River, which is near one of the
Weapon of villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo where the disease was
first discovered (WHO, 2018).
Mass  Once present in a host, the virus infects others through direct contact
Destruction with blood or other bodily secretions.
(Biowarfare)  An infected individuals can expect to start experiencing symptoms
between 2 to 21 days. Typical symptoms may include:
 Headache
 Muscle ache
 Sore throat and weakness
 Followed by diarrhea and vomiting.
 Some patients also suffer internal bleeding. Between 60- 90% of
infected victims die after 7 to 16 days while some patients recover
better than others.
 Antidote: There is no vaccine and no cure for Ebola only proper medical
management such as avoiding people who are exposed to it and
maintain balance of Fluids and electrolytes and oxygen; blood
transfusion and treatment for other infections.
 Biological 4. Plague also called Black Death killed half of the population of Europe in
Weapon of the 14th century caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis which was
transmitted to humans by infected rats ( Schoenstadt, Bubonic Plague,
Mass
2017).
Destruction  Exists in two main strains: bubonic and pneumonic:
(Biowarfare)  Bubonic Plague typically spreads by bites from infected fleas, but also
can be transmitted from person to person through contact with infected
bodily fluids. This strain is named for the swollen glands, or buboes,
around the groin, armpit and neck that is accompanied by fever, chills,
headache and exhaustion.
 Symptoms occur within two to three days typically last between one and
six days. Unless treated within the first 24 hours of infection. 70 percent
of those infected die.
 Pneumonic Plague is less common and spreads through the air by
coughs, sneezes and face-to- face contact. Its symptoms include high
fever, cough, bloody mucus and difficulty breathing.
 Biological Antidote: Antibiotics are prescribed to treat bubonic plague, and the
Weapon of patient is advised to be hospitalized in isolation. Delayed treatment can
easily make the bacteria quickly multiply in the blood or spread to the
Mass
lungs. If left, untreated, morality rate is increased from 50- 99%.
Destruction
(Biowarfare) 5. Tularemia also called rabbit fever. It’s a disease caused by the
bacterium Franciella tularensis and is one of the most infectious bacteria
on Earth.
 Rabbits, hares and rodents are specifically susceptible and often die in
large numbers during outbreaks.
 Humans can become infected through bites of thick and decer fly, skin
contact with infected animals, drinking contaminated water, and
inhalation of contaminated aerosols or agricultural dusts ( US
Department of Health, 2016).
 Symptoms normally appear within 3 to 5 days after exposure and may
vary depending on the method of infection.
 Biological  Patients may experience fever, chills, headache, diarrhea, muscle
Weapon of aches, joint pain dry cough and progressive weakness.
 Pneumonia like symptoms can also developed. If left untreated,
Mass
respiratory failure, shock and death can follow. The illness typically lasts
Destruction less than two weeks, but during that time, the infected people are
(Biowarfare) basically bedridden.
Antidote: Turlemia is not transferred between human hosts but can be
spread very rapidly between animal hosts and humans or when used in
aerosol form. It can be easily treated with antibiotics or prevented with
vaccine.

6. Botulinum toxin is caused by bacteria Clostridium botulinum that

contains the deadly botulinum toxin.
 It is colorless and odorless in air. The spores is found in fruits,
vegetables and seafood. In this spore state, they are considered
harmless but when they begin but when they begin to grow they
produce deadly toxin .
 Biological  Humans primarily exposed to the toxin through the consumption of
Weapon of contaminated foods.
 The signs of it are blurred vision, vomiting and difficulty swallowing. To
Mass
prevent severe effects, an antitoxin botulism should be administered to
Destruction the victim. If untreated victim will experience paralysis, affecting the
(Biowarfare) muscles and eventually the respiratory system. In the absence of
respiratory support, Clostridium botulinium cam kill the exposed victim
within 24 to 72 hours. Because of this reason, the deadly toxin was
labeled as Category A biological weapon.
Antidote: Antitoxin drugs can be administered to the patient to prevent the
disorder from worsening, but recovery still takes many weeks according to
Davis ( 2017).

7. Rice Blast is classified as a bioweapon, a kind of crop disease caused

by the fungus Pyricularia oryzae (also known as Magnaporthe grisea)
 It makes leaves of plants that were exposed to the fungus developed
grayish lesions with build up of thousands of fungal spores.
 Biological  The spores quickly multiply and spread to all plants it comes in contact
Weapon of with , weakening them and producing lower crop harvest. This
bioweapon does not kill instantly, but low food production could lead to
Mass
severe hunger in poorer countries, as well as loses in income.
Destruction  A number of countries have pursued rice blast as biological weapon,
(Biowarfare) including the United States and Russia.
Antidote: To prevent Rice blast infested plants from growing, it is
suggested to develop fungus resistant plant varities. Other crop
management measures can also be done, such as: Do not use excessive
fertilizer; Irrigate the soul regularly; Plant early; Use Silicon fertilizers(e.g.,
calcium silicate) as alternative fertilizer they help can be applied to soils
that an help reduce blast; and apply appropriate fungicide to infected
plants.

8. Rinderpest (cattle plague) is a German name and a kind of pest caused

by a virus similar to measles, but affects mostly cattle cattle and other
ruminant animals such as goats, bison and giraffes.
 Biological  It is highly contagious disease, characterized with fever, loss of
Weapon of appetite, dysentery and inflammation of the mucus membrances. The
condition gets serious for 6 to 10 days after exposure until the animal
Mass
suffers dehydration.
Destruction Antidote: There is no known treatment and animals exposed to it are
(Biowarfare) required to be isolated and slaughtered. Vaccination can be administered if
directed by the authorities. Proper disposal of dead animals and
contaminated material. Maintains cleanliness and proper sanitation of
cattle farms. Using disinfectants like Sodium hypochlorite a 3% household
bleach can kill RPV virus.

9. Nipah disease is caused by the nipah virus in 1999, that resulted to an

outbreak in Nipah region of Malysia, infecting 265 and killing 105. Health
workers suspected the virus naturally occurs in fruit bats.
 The exact nature of transference is uncertain, but experts think that the
virus may spread through close physical contact or contaminated body
fluids.
 Biological
Weapon of  The illness typically lasts 6 to 10 day, inducing symptoms that range
from mild, flulike conditions such as fever and muscle pains to
Mass
encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain. In these more severe cases,
Destruction patients experienced drowsiness, ddisorientation, convulsions and
(Biowarfare) ultimately coma.
 Classified as a Category C biological weapon. While no country is
known to have developed to use it as a bioweapon, it has that potential
use because of its 50 percent mortality rate.
Antidote: Treatment is limited to supportive care
 •Is composed of toxic chemical contained in a bomb that can caused death
, injury temporary incapacitation or sensory irritation through chemical
action.

Chemical
•After WWI, chemical weapons have seldom been used due to their
massive destruction and severe harm urged the US senate in 1997 to ratify
a global chemical weapons ban into treaty which was approved by more

Weapon of
than 80 nations. However, recent terrorist activity such as the attack on
World Trade Center in New York on September 11 just proves that the
technology of producing such weapons is still available with existing
chemical manufacturing plants in the United States and Europe.

Mass •There are several kinds of chemical weapons, and their effectiveness is
controlled by its freshness, purity, weather cinditions, wind direction,
means of dissemination, and other factors. Some of them can take long

Destruction
hours to kill, and some people exposed to it can survive according to their
tolerance level and when given immediate antidotes. They come in the
form of liquids, vapors, gases and aerosols. They are called nerve agents,
blister agents and choking agents, all of them can irritate the eyes, lungs
or skin. Effects include immediate failure of the respiratory or nervous
system, or skin irritation, headaches, heart palpitations, respiratory
difficulty, vomiting and convulsions.
 Most common
chemical weapons
include:

1. Sarin also called GB, is a colorless nerve gas and considered an

organophosphate chemical, a potent pesticide. Sarin is a tasteless,
odorless, colorless liquid that has no odor in its pure from which was
developed in Germany by Gerhard Schrader in 1938. Sarin can
evaporate into a vapor (gas) and spread into the environment. It is a
highly poisonous chemical that kills because of in interferes with
signaling within the nervous systems by suffocation. The production
and storing of sarin was banned in 1997 by the United Nations’
chemical Weapons Convention in 1993. U.S. has stopped producing
sarin since 1957. It was used as well by fraqi insurgents, and its still
being pralidoxime chloride (2- PAM C1) for nerve agent against
toxicity; however, 2-PAM C1 must be administered within minutes to
a few hours after exposure to be more effective (National Institute
For Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), 2017).
 Most common
chemical weapons
include:

2. Soman is a combination off sarin and Lewisite, an effective

blistering agent. It is more expensive to produce than sarin. It is
colorless liquid, becomes dark brown if aged. It is tasteless but
has been variously described as having a sweet, musty, fruity,
spicy or nutty smell. It is more deadly than sarin and tabun. The
nerve agent Soman is said to have come from the Soviet
Union’s chemical arsenal. It is considered a volatile substance
effective mainly through inhalation (Greaves, 2010).
Antidotes to nerve agent poisoning must be given immediately.
These include: Atropine, Pralidoxime Diazepam.
 Most common
chemical weapons
include:

3. VX, or O-ethyl S- diisopropylsminomethyl

methylphosphonothiolate is a brownish in liquid form, and its
vapors are odorless. The United States began producing VX in
April 1961. VX is a very toxic nerve gas, an extremely toxic
chemical agent C11 H26 NO1 PS that is used as a nerve gas
which causes convulsions, loss of consciousness, paralysis and
failure of the respiratory system leading to death. It is 100 times
more deadly than sarin. VX was first synthesized in the early to
mid -1950’s by Ranaji Ghosh, a chemist working for Imperial
Chemical Industries in Britain. An individual exposed to a nerve-
agent, is generally given the antidotes atropine and pralidoxime
(2-PAM), as well as injected sedative/ antiepilrptic such as
diazepam. (Taylor, 2017)
 Most common
chemical weapons
include:

4. Tabun was discovered by accident in Germany by a German

chemist, Gerhard Schrader, sometime in 1937. It is colorless or
brownish liquid, and odorless as a vapor. Tabun, is classified as
an organophosphate and originally intended to be used as a
pesticides and considered among the easiest of nerve gases to
manufacture. Tabun can be mixed with water and can be used to
poison water or food and it can also be inhaled when released
into the air. Signs of exposure are visual disturbance, runny
nose, chest tightness, nausea, vomiting and convulsions. A large
dose exposure can lead to loss of consciousness, convulsions,
paralysis and respiratory failure, which can lead to death.
Antidote for tabun is administration of injectable atropine and
pralidoxime (Kermit D Huebner, 2016).
 Most common
chemical weapons
include:

5. Zyklon B is another poison gas invented in Germany in 1920

by Fritz Haber, a type of hydrogen cyanide used by the Nazis to
kill war victims inside gas chamber during World War II. It is a
colorless vapor at normal temperatures with a smell like bitter
almonds. Eventually, the use of poisonous gas in war was
prohibited by the 1899 Hague Convention. The toxic gas is
blown by the wind in all directions it victimizes both enemy
troops and friendly forces. However, it has been reported that
hydrogen cyanide was used by Iraq in the war against Iran and
against the Kurds in northern Iraq during the 1980;s. Hydrogen
cyanide has high toxicity and in sufficient concentrations rapidly
leads to death. Antidote use is Amyl nitrate, sodium nitrate, and
sodium thiosulfate which are antidotes for cyanide toxicity.
 Most common
chemical weapons
include:

6. Mustard Agents was first used near the end of World War I.
Exposure to it caused severe eye and lung damage. The
chemical compound is often called “blister agent” because their
injuries usually resemble burns or blisters. Sulfur mustard,
commonly known as mustard gas, have the ability to form large
blisters on exposed skin and in the lungs. Mustard gas exposure
can cause 2nd and 3rd degree chemical burns. Sulfur mustard
sometimes smells like garlic, onions, or mustard exposure and
sometimes has no odor (Scheneider, Chemical weapon, 2016).
There is no antidote for mustard exposure. The best thing to do
is to avoid it by leaving the area immediately where the sulfur
mustard is present. Go to higher ground, because sulfur mustard
being heavier than air, will settle in low- lying areas.
Natural Weapons of
mass destruction
 Are just like conventional bombs, because they are meant to
cause extreme damage through an explosion that releases a
large amount of energy in a short period of time. In nuclear
weapons, explosion is created by changing the atoms
themselves, either by splitting them together to create new
atoms that release tremendous heat.
 Recent inventory reveals that some countries all over the
world possesses about 30, 000 nuclear weapons. These
weapons can each have explosive power 20 times greater
than the nuclear weapons that was dropped and destroyed
much of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japanand killing roughly
250, 000 people during World War II. Since 1945, nuclear
weapon has been used in a conflict although possession of
them is a symbol of strength and prestige and can be used
during diplomatic bargaining.
Two main types of nuclear reaction that can be
used to make nuclear weapon:
•Fission weapons: In fission weapons, atoms are split. The core of a
fission bomb is made of either plutonium or highly enriched uranium.
Plutonium and uranium atoms are both heavy, meaning they have a
large number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. During fission,
when the heavy nucleus splits into two smaller nuclei, extra neutrons
are released. If these neutrons are absorbed by other nuclei, they can,
in turn, split, also releasing neutrons and setting off what is known as a
chain reaction.
•Fusion weapons: often known as hydrogen bombs- deuterium and
tritium, two isotopes of hydrogen, are fused together to create heavier
atoms. This reaction also occurs in the center of the sun. Fusion can
only happen extremely high temperatures and pressure. There is no
theoretical limit to explosive force of fusion weapon. Typically, fusion
weapons are 10 to 100 times as explosive just like the fission bombs
dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Effects of nuclear weapons
Blast refers to the very fast release of energy in an explosion producing a shock wave equivalent to several
thousand pounds of pressure per square inch (psi), devastating force that can break most objects on earth. By
comparison, brick houses and human lungs can be crushed at about 30 psi pressure or less.

Thermal radiation is a form of energy with a combination of heat and light. The heat from a nuclear
explosion is so intense that nearly all materials at the center of the explosion (epicenter) are immediately
vaporized. The thermal radiation also creates a fireball which rapidly expands outward, consuming oxygen
and, combined with the blast effect, creating near total destruction for some distance from the epicenter. The
light produced by nuclear explosion can be seen from hundreds of miles away, so intense that it can make
sand explode, blind people many milees away, ignite flammable materials at large distances, and burn human
skin.
Effects of nuclear weapons
Direct nuclear radiation releases several forms of radiation such as gamma, alpha and beta particles. Both
gamma rays and neutrons can easily penetrate or pass through solid objects and can be deadly. Beta and alpha
particles are generally less dangerous, having much shorter ranges- several meters and several centimeters,
respectively. Alpha particles cannot penetrate human skin, but if ingested, they can cause most damage to the
human body.

Fallout consists of large numbers of particles, which are propelled upward in the blast and becomes irradiated
or contaminated with radiation during the explosion. Some of this material wiil fall back to earth within a few
minutes and may continue falling for about 24 hours. The rising and descending debris forms the mushroom
cloud that follows a nuclear explosion. The distribution of fallout depends on the topography of the land and
weather conditions, pertaining to dirrections and speed of winds. Radioactive fallout may travel and settle in
places hundreds of miles away from the explosion site as they are carried by the winds (Reed).
Effects of Radiation on Humans
Depending on the amount of radiation,
how fast or slow is radiation
contamination, it can affect the cells,
tissues and organs of the body. Large
does can cause death within hours,
days or weeks of exposure
The most serious delayed, long- term effect
of radiation exposure is increased cases of
leukemia, thyroid, lungs, breast and bone
cancers. The type of cancer acquired
depends on how the body was exposed to
radiation. In the case of uranium mine
workers, high cases of lung cancer is
caused by inhaling radioactive dusts.
Effects of Radiation on Humans

Hiroshima survivors exposed from the

While workers who painted glow- in-
nuclear bomb attack have been seen to
the- dark radium onto watch faces
manifest high cases of leukemia,
licked their radioactive paintbrushes,
cataracts, hair loss, increased in
which lead to increase cases of bone
infertility rates and birth defects
cancer and radiation induced anemia.
(Reed).
Radiological weapon of mass destruction
Radioactive “dirty bombs” are weapons of mass destruction. A radioactive
”dirty bombs” is made by combining radioactive material with conventional
explosives usually dynamite to spread it but would not cause massive death
and injury as compared to the scale of a nuclear weapon detonation. They are
more intended to spread terror rather than mass killings (NTI.com, 2015)