TYPE OF AGENT – Lacrimatory – Toxic (Tear Gas)

NAME (CHEMICAL) – Bromoacetone

NAME (COMMON) – Bromoacetone (B-Stoff, Green T-Germany) (Martonite [with 20% chloracetone]-France) (BA – Britain and US)

DATE OF DISCOVERY – First description 1876

MOLECULAR FORMULA – C₃H₅BrO

MOLECULAR WEIGHT – 136.98 g/mole

PHYSICAL STATE @ 20° C. (68° F.) – Liquid

VAPOR DENSITY (AIR = 1.0) – 4.75

FLASH POINT – 75.3° C. (168° F.), highly flammable from heat, sparks, or flames

FREEZING/MELTING POINT – -36.5° C. (-34° F.)

BOILING POINT – 136.5° C. (278° F.)

LIQUID DENSITY – 1.634 g/cc

VAPOR PRESSURE (mm/Hg) – 9 mm/Hg @ 20° C.(68° F.)

VOLATILITY (mg/m3) – 75.078 mg/m³ @ 20° C.(68° F.)

ODOR – Pungent

APPEARANCE – Colorless liquid, turns violet then black on standing

SOLUBILITY – Poor solubility in water

MEDIAN INCAPACITATING DOSAGE (ID50) – 0.0015 mg/L³, 0.010 mg/L³ considered intolerable

MEDIAN LETHAL DOSAGE (LD50) – 3.20 mg/L³

PERSISTENCY – 3 hours in open, 1 to 2 hours in wooded areas (Summer), 2 days in open, 7 days in wooded areas (Winter)

INHALATION TOXICITY – Acutely toxic, highly irritating to upper respiratory tract

SKIN TOXICITY – Irritating, corrosive, may be fatal on absorption through the skin

EYE TOXICITY – Intensely irritating, may cause burns to eye tissue

RATE OF ACTION – Immediate

SYMPTOMS (PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION) – Violent lachrymator, intense burning sensation on inhalation, cough, sore throat, and labored breathing, redness, painful blistering, and general pain on skin, watering of the eyes including redness, pain, and blurred vision

TREATMENT – Remove contaminated clothing, flush eyes and skin with running water for at least 15 minutes, move to fresh air

PROTECTION – Gas mask, impermeable clothing

DECONTAMINATION – Thorough washing

USE – Grenades, mortar and artillery shells

     This was the third Bromine compound fielded by the German in WWI. Unsatisfied with the slight improvement of Benzyl bromide over the earlier Xylyl bromide, the Germans brought out Bromoacetone for use as an easily volatilized toxic tear gas. It was also used by the British and American forces, along with the French who fielded it mixed 20 % Chloroacetone. The French mixture, known as Martonite, had a slightly greater effectiveness than Bromoacetone alone, and it helped stretch out the available supply of Bromine. Bromoacetone was the most widely used lacrymator of WWI with all combatants using it in one form or another. It also proved to be the most effective tear gas of WWI