Chemical Weapons Convention

The Chemical Weapons Convention is an arms control agreement which outlaws the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons. Its full name is the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction. It was signed in 1993 and entered into force on April 29, 1997. It augments the Geneva Protocol of 1925 for chemical weapons and includes extensive verification measures such as on-site inspections, but does not cover most forms of biological weapons.

The convention is administered by the OPCW, Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Controlled Substances

The Convention categorizes a number of substances as Schedule 1 Controlled toxins:

1. O-Alkyl (<= C₁₀ incl. cycloalkyl) alkyl (Me, Et, n-Pr oder i-Pr)-phosphonofluoridates

 e.g. O-Isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate (Sarin),
 O-Pinacolyl methylphosphonofluoridate (Soman)

2. O-Alkyl (<= C₁₀ incl. cycloalkyl)-N,N-dialkyl (Me, Et, n-Pr oder i-Pr)-phosphoramidocyanidates

 e.g. O-Ethyl N,N-dimethyl phosphoramido cyanidate (Tabun)

3. O-Alkyl (H oder <= C₁₀ incl. cycloalkyl)-S-2-dialkyl (Me, Et, n-Pr oder i-Pr)-aminoethyl alkyl (Me, Et, n-Pr oder i-Pr)-phosphonothiolates and corresponding alkylated or pronated salts

 e.g. O-Ethyl-S-2-diisopropyl-aminoethyl methyl phosphonothiolate (VX)

4. Sulfur mustards:

 2-Chloroethylchloromethylsulfide
 Bis(2-cloroethyl)-sulfide (mustard gas)
 Bis(2-cloroethylthio)-methane
 Sesquimustard: 1,2-Bis(2-chloroethylthio)ethane
 1,3-Bis(2-chloroethylthio)-n-propane
 1,4-Bis(2-chloroethylthio)-n-butane
 1,5-Bis(2-chloroethylthio)-n-pentane
 Bis(2-chloroethylthiomethyl)ether
 Bis(2-chloroethylthioethyl)ether (O-Mustard)

5. Lewisites:

 2-Chlorovinyldichloroarsine (Lewisite 1)
 Bis(2-chlorovinyl)-chloroarsine (Lewisite 2)
 Tris(2-chlorovinyl)-arsine (Lewisite 3)

6. Nitrogen mustanrds:

 Bis(2-chlorothyl)-ethylamine (HN1)
 Bis(2-chloroethyl)-methylamine (HN2)
 Tris(2-chloroethyl)-amine (HN3)

7. Saxitoxin[?]

8. Ricin

9. Alkyl (Me, Et, n-Pr oder i-Pr)-phosphonyl-difluorides

 e.g. Methylphosphonyl difluoride (DF)

10. O-Alkyl(H oder <= C₁₀ incl. cycloalkyl)-O-2-dialkyl(Me, Et, n-Pr oder i-Pr)-aminoethyl alkyl (Me, Et, n-Pr oder i-Pr) phosphonites and corresponding alkylated and pronated salts

 e.g. O-Ethyl-0-2-diisopropylaminoethylmethyl-phosphonite (QL)

11. O-Isopropyl methyl phosphonochloridate (Chlorosarin[?])

12. O-Pinacolyl methylphosphonochloridate (Chlorosoman[?])

External links

• Text of the convention, including annexes (http://www.opcw.org/html/db/cwc/eng/cwc_frameset.html)
• List of ratifying countries as of 2001 (http://www.state.gov/t/ac/rls/fs/2001/956.htm)