| Chemical |
|---|
| Sarin (GB) — C₄H₁₀FO₂P | Volatile organophosphorus nerve agent. | Rapid cholinergic crisis, paralysis, respiratory failure and death; acutely toxic contamination of air, water and surfaces. |
| Soman (GD) — C₇H₁₆FO₂P | Highly toxic organophosphorus nerve agent. | Seizures, paralysis and respiratory failure; severe acute toxicity to exposed fauna and surfaces. |
| Tabun (GA) — C₅H₁₁N₂O₂P | Organophosphorus nerve agent. | Miosis, convulsions, paralysis and death; toxic contamination of soil, water and biota. |
| VX — C₁₁H₂₆NO₂PS | Persistent nerve agent with low volatility. | Lethal by inhalation or skin contact; persistent toxic surface and soil contamination. |
| Sulfur mustard (HD) — C₄H₈Cl₂S | Persistent blister agent. | Delayed severe burns to skin, eyes and airways; carcinogenic and persistent environmental contaminant. |
| Lewisite (L) — C₂H₂AsCl₃ | Arsenical blister agent. | Immediate pain, burns, lung injury and systemic arsenic toxicity; persistent arsenic-bearing contamination. |
| Phosgene (CG) — COCl₂ | Pulmonary choking agent and industrial toxicant. | Delayed pulmonary edema and potentially fatal respiratory failure; acute toxic-plume hazard. |
| Hydrogen cyanide (AC) — HCN | Blood agent and industrial toxic chemical. | Blocks cellular oxygen use, causing rapid collapse and death; acutely toxic to aquatic and terrestrial life. |
| Cyanogen chloride (CK) — CNCl | Blood agent with strong respiratory and eye irritation. | Cellular asphyxiation plus lung injury; toxic air and water contaminant. |
| Chlorine — Cl₂ | Toxic industrial chemical historically used as a choking agent. | Corrosive eye and airway injury and pulmonary edema; acutely toxic to aquatic life and vegetation. |
| Biological |
|---|
| Bacillus anthracis — no single formula | Spore-forming bacterium causing anthrax; high-priority biological threat agent. | Potentially fatal inhalational, gastrointestinal or cutaneous disease; durable spores may persist in soil and infect animals. |
| Yersinia pestis — no single formula | Bacterium causing plague. | Pneumonic or septicemic disease can be rapidly fatal and transmissible; affects wild-rodent and flea ecosystems. |
| Francisella tularensis — no single formula | Bacterium causing tularemia. | Severe febrile or pneumonic disease; infects wildlife and may persist in water or soil. |
| Variola virus — no single formula | Virus causing smallpox. | Contagious systemic disease with high mortality; major public-health and societal consequences. |
| Ebola virus — no single formula | Filovirus causing viral hemorrhagic fever. | Severe systemic disease with potentially high mortality; zoonotic risk involving wildlife reservoirs. |
| Botulinum neurotoxin — protein; no single operational formula | Extremely potent protein neurotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum. | Descending paralysis and respiratory failure; can poison humans, livestock and wildlife. |
| Ricin — protein; composition varies | Plant-derived ribosome-inactivating toxin from castor beans. | Severe organ injury and potentially fatal respiratory or gastrointestinal poisoning; toxic to animals. |
| Radiological |
|---|
| Americium-241 — ²⁴¹Am | Radioisotope used in gauges and smoke detectors; potential orphan-source concern. | Internal alpha and external gamma exposure; long-lived radiological contamination. |
| Cesium-137 — ¹³⁷Cs | Gamma-emitting fission product used in industrial and medical sources. | Whole-body irradiation and internal contamination; mobile, persistent soil and food-chain contamination. |
| Cobalt-60 — ⁶⁰Co | Strong gamma source used in radiotherapy and industry. | Potentially lethal external exposure; persistent radioactive contamination if dispersed. |
| Strontium-90 — ⁹⁰Sr | Beta-emitting fission product. | Bone-seeking internal contaminant with marrow and cancer risk; persistent food-chain contamination. |
| Iodine-131 — ¹³¹I | Short-lived fission product and medical radioisotope. | Concentrates in the thyroid; can contaminate air, pasture, milk and food chains. |
| Nuclear |
|---|
| Uranium-235 — ²³⁵U | Fissile uranium isotope and nuclear-material security target. | External and internal radiation risk plus uranium chemical toxicity; persistent radiological and heavy-metal contamination. |
| Uranium-238 — ²³⁸U | Predominant natural uranium isotope. | Internal alpha-radiation and kidney toxicity; persistent soil and water contamination. |
| Plutonium-239 — ²³⁹Pu | Fissile plutonium isotope and nuclear-security target. | Severe internal alpha-radiation hazard if inhaled or ingested; long-lived contamination. |
| Explosives |
|---|
| TNT — C₇H₅N₃O₆ | Military high explosive; 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene. | Blast and fragmentation injuries; toxic blood and liver effects; persistent soil and groundwater contaminant. |
| RDX — C₃H₆N₆O₆ | Military nitramine high explosive. | Blast injuries and possible seizures after exposure; mobile groundwater contaminant. |
| HMX — C₄H₈N₈O₈ | Powerful military nitramine explosive. | Blast and fragmentation hazard; persistent energetic-material contamination. |
| PETN — C₅H₈N₄O₁₂ | High explosive used in detonating cord and some plastic explosives. | Blast and fragmentation trauma; energetic-material contamination. |
| Tetryl — C₇H₅N₅O₈ | Military booster explosive. | Explosion trauma, dermatitis and liver effects; toxic soil and water contaminant. |
| Nitroglycerin — C₃H₅N₃O₉ | Nitrate-ester explosive and propellant ingredient. | Blast hazard, severe headache and hypotension; toxic energetic residue. |
| Ammonium nitrate — NH₄NO₃ | Oxidizer and fertilizer capable of supporting large explosions under adverse conditions. | Blast, fire and nitrogen-oxide inhalation hazards; nutrient pollution and eutrophication. |
| TATP — C₉H₁₈O₆ | Highly sensitive peroxide explosive. | Severe blast and fragmentation hazard with high accidental-initiation risk. |
| HMTD — C₆H₁₂N₂O₆ | Sensitive organic peroxide explosive. | High accidental-detonation, blast and fire hazard. |