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One Hundred Years of Chemical Warfare : Research, Deployment, Consequences
On April 22, 1915, the German military released 150 tons of chlorine gas at Ypres, Belgium. Carried by a long-awaited wind, the chlorine cloud passed within a few minutes through the British and French trenches, leaving behind at least 1,000 dead and 4,000 injured. This chemical attack, which amounted to the first use of a weapon of mass destruction, marks a turning point in world history. The preparation as well as the execution of the gas attack was orchestrated by Fritz Haber, the director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry in Berlin-Dahlem. During World War I, Haber transformed his research institute into a center for the development of chemical weapons (and of the means of protection against them).
NATO and terrorism catastrophic terrorism and first responders : Threats and mitigation
In this important new book a group of experts represents the current knowledge on the various terrorism threats to first responders resulting from the novel use of conventional weapons, as well radiological, nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. Also, the current situation in selected countries of different sizes and practical experience with terrorism countermeasures (Austria, Israel, Slovenia, Russia, U.S.) is reviewed, focusing on the national operational logistics and the individual needs for improving the present situation. Finally, this book offers innovative solutions to strengthen the level of protection of the first responders, culminating in fifty-one practically applicable recommendations
Environmental Security and Public Safety ; Problems and Needs in Conversion Policy and Research after 15 Years of Conversion in Central and Eastern Europe
Although the end of the Cold War has paved the way to a substantial demilitarisation and conversion, the leftovers of this process – such as former military installations, military training areas, and huge quantities of unserviceable ammunition and equipment – still pose a severe threat to the environment of both NATO and Partner countries.The rehabilitation of these areas for civilian uses is extremely costly and is generally in the short and medium term not possible. For this reason, the development of new methods for the estimation avoidance of risks should receive special priority. In the context of this ARW, the reconnaissance and appraisal of conversion areas with respect to costs, returns, and legal considerations were discussed. The decades-long use of some areas led to the heavy loading of contaminates. Every task of conversion has as its goal the elimination of dangers to humans and nature, and the return of areas to civil use, such that these areas can be used realise economic interests of the society.
Ecological risks associated with the destruction of chemical weapons ; Proceedings of the NATO ARW on ecological risks associated with the destruction of chemical weapons, Lüneburg, Germany, from 22-26 October 2003
Chemical Weapons Convention after the First Review Conference -- Implementation of Russia’s Obligation to Destroy chemical Weapons in the Udmurt Republic -- The CWC after the Review Conference . Prof. Dr. Vladimir Mikhailovitsh Kolodkin , Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Ruck 1 Institute of Natural and Technogenic Disasters, Udmurt State University, Izhevsk (Russia), 2 Institute of Ecology and Environmental Chemistry, University Lüneburg (Germany) During the Cold War a whole arsenal of deadly chemical weapons was allowed to build up on both sides of the ideological divide. Happily, today the problems are reversed. Expertise is now required in the field of safe and environment-friendly disposal of chemical weapons and cleaning up of contaminated sites all around the world, but not least in the ex-Soviet-led countries. In all, there were 57 participants, of which 11 dispatched from the TACIS project “The development of the chemical weapons” facility at the detached plant No 4 of OAO Khimprom, Novocheboksarsk.
Biological Invasions
This new volume on Biological Invasions deals with both plants and animals. It differs from previous books on the subject by extending from the level of individual species to an ecosystem and global level. Topics of highest societal relevance, such as the impact of genetically modified organisms, are interlinked with more conventional ecological aspects, including biodiversity. The combination of these approaches is new and makes compelling reading for researchers and environmentalists. The book’s 22 chapters cover a huge range of subjects relevant to the field. These include pathways of biological invasions (e.g. ballast water, waterways), traits of successful invaders (e.g. chemical weapons, empty niches), and patterns of invasion and invasibility, such as man-induced predisposition by fire, land use and eutrophication, and the role of climate change.
