APPEARANCE – Colorless or slightly yellow oily liquid, crude material is a black liquid
SOLUBILITY – Insoluble in water
MEDIAN INCAPACITATING DOSAGE (ID50) – 0.015 mg/l intolerable after 1 minute
MEDIAN LETHAL DOSAGE (LD50) – 5.60 mg/l lethal after 10 minutes exposure
PERSISTENCY – High
INHALATION TOXICITY – Strong irritation to mucus membranes and lung tissue, highly toxic on inhalation
SKIN TOXICITY – Delayed strong irritation to skin, liquid contact can cause severe chemical burns
EYE TOXICITY – Immediate extreme irritation to eyes, liquid contact can cause severe chemical burns
RATE OF ACTION – Rapid
SYMPTOMS (PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION) – Burning in the eyes with copious tear production, coughing and difficulty in breathing, possible delayed pulmonary edema depending on exposure, causes corrosive chemical burns by all exposure routes
TREATMENT – Remove from exposure, flush contaminated areas with water, supply supplemental oxygen, artificial respiration may be necessary
DURATION OF EFFECTIVENESS – Hours or up to several days at above freezing temperatures
PROTECTION – Gas mask, protective clothing.
DECONTAMINATION – Flooding area with water
USE – Artillery shells, grenades
In experiments with lacrimatory agents, German chemists found that, in general, Bromine derivatives were far more effective than Chlorine compounds. Germany had no shortage of Bromine during WWI so was able to take advantage of the situation and create new agents. Xylyl bromide is produced by the direct bromination of xylene which produces a thick liquid with a relatively high freezing point. It needs to be vaporized for maximum effectiveness as a chemical agent so is often used in explosive bursting shells and hand grenades. The action of Xylyl bromide is one of severe irritation to the eyes, causing strong tear production and a corresponding difficulty in seeing. The strength of Xylyl bromide as a powerful irritant caused its weakness to be overlooked. The Germans used this agent in artillery shells fired on Russian forces at Bolimow of the Eastern Front on January 31, 1915. The gas was completely ineffective, if barely noticed by the Russian troops. The normal winter temperatures at the time were well below the melting point of the agent. It basically was spread out and lay upon the frozen ground.
In spite of the ineffectiveness of the agent, this encounter proved to be the first use of gas in a major operation. Xylyl bromide-filled shells were again used by the Germans against the British forces at Nieuport, France in March, 1915 where the agent proved noticeable but not very effective. It was soon supplanted by other, more effective agents and by 1917, Xylyl Bromide had left the front lines. It is noteworthy as being one of the very first chemical agents used in an offensive manner during World War I.
