Research on using naturally extracted capsaicin to develop irritant smoke agents as alternatives to military-grade CS gas
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54939/1859-1043.j.mst.100.2024.90-97Keywords:
Capsaicin; Tear gas grenade; Combat readiness training.Abstract
Development of the LĐO-24 training tear gas smoke grenade, which uses capsaicin extracted from chili peppers as a substitute for the military-grade toxic agent CS. The LĐO-24 is safer for humans and the environment compared to conventional tear gas grenades. It can be used in combat readiness training and gas mask testing. Experiments on the mixing ratio of smoke-producing and irritant components, similar to those in the LĐC-16 grenade, indicate that the LĐO-24 training grenade possesses similar features to the LĐC-16. It generates an airborne smoke layer that irritates the eyes and respiratory system, with an optimal capsaicin concentration of 10% in the smoke mixture, achieving a capsaicin concentration of 0,0036 mg/m³ in the smoke layer. This irritant concentration effectively causes eye and respiratory irritation while remaining safe for personnel during training. The capsaicin's persistence in the air decreases over time, with tear gas effects lasting between 120 and 180 seconds.
References
[1]. Nguyễn Tiến Phát, Đinh Ngọc Thạch, Nguyễn Đức Hạnh, Đỗ Tuấn Duy, Nguyễn Kháng Đế. “Sổ tay kỹ thuật: Trang bị phòng chống vũ khí NBC của quân đội một số nước”. Bộ tư lệnh Hóa học & TTTT KHKTQS-TCKT, (1993).
[2]. Nguyễn Thái Bình và các cộng sự. “Nghiên cứu chế tạo hỗn hợp chất tạo khói VH-15”. Báo cáo nhiệm vụ cấp cơ sở, (2016).
[3]. Phạm Văn Hoàn, Lê Văn Bàn, Lê Ngọc Định, Lê Anh Sơn. “Nghiên cứu chế tạo hỗn hợp khói thể rắn”. Báo cáo đề tài Viện HHQS (1993).
[4]. National Research Council. “Acute Exposure Guideline Levels for Selected Airborne Chemicals”. Volume 16. Washington, DC: National Academies Press, (2014).
[5]. Dimitroglou, Y.; Rachiotis, G.; Hadjichristodoulou, C. “Exposure to the Riot Control Agent CS and Potential Health Effects: A Systematic Review of the Evidence”. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, (2015). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120201397
[6]. Schep, Leo J., Slaughter, R. J., & McBride, D. I. "Riot control agents: the tear gases CN, CS and OC—a medical review." Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps, (2013). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/jramc-2013-000165
[7]. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. “NIOSH Method 5041: Capsaicin and Dihydrocapsaicin”. NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods, Issue 1, (1996).
[8]. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. "NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards." Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2005-149, (2007).
[9]. Feigenbaum, Anna. “Tear Gas: From the Battlefields of World War I to the Streets of Today”. Verso, (2017).
[10]. Gilliland, Alan, & Rottman, Gordon L. “The Hand Grenades”. Osprey Publishing, (2015).
[11]. Long, K. Z., & Hernández, G. L. “Capsaicin: Analytical methods for quantification and the impact on health. Journal of Chromatographic Science”, 53(1), 16-21, (2015). doi:10.1093/chromsci/bmu002. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/chromsci/bmu002
