Chemical Categories
A to Z | By Category
Scientists often categorize hazardous chemicals by the type of chemical or by the effects a chemical would have on people exposed to it. The categories/types used by CDC are as follows:
Biotoxins
Poisons that come from plants or animals
- Abrin
- Brevetoxin
- Colchicine
- Digitalis
- Nicotine
- Ricin
- Saxitoxin
- Strychnine
- Tetrodotoxin
- Trichothecene
Blister Agents/Vesicants
Chemicals that severely blister the eyes, respiratory tract, and skin on contact
- Mustards
- Mustard gas (H) (sulfur mustard)
- Mustard/lewisite (HL)
- Nitrogen mustard (HN-1, HN-2, HN-3)
- Sesqui mustard
- Sulfur mustard (H) (mustard gas)
- Lewisites/chloroarsine agents
- Lewisite (L, L-1, L-2, L-3)
- Mustard/lewisite (HL)
- Phosgene oxime (CX) (CX)
Blood Agents
Poisons that affect the body by being absorbed into the blood
Caustics (Acids)
Chemicals that burn or corrode people's skin, eyes, and mucus membranes (lining of the nose, mouth, throat, and lungs) on contact
- Hydrofluoric acid (hydrogen fluoride)
- Hydrogen chloride
Choking/Lung/Pulmonary Agents
Chemicals that cause severe irritation or swelling of the respiratory tract (lining of the nose, throat, and lungs)
- Ammonia
- Bromine (CA) (CA)
- Chlorine (CL)
- Hydrogen chloride
- Methyl bromide
- Methyl isocyanate
- Osmium tetroxide
- Phosgene
- Diphosgene (DP)
- Phosgene (CG)
- Phosphine
- Phosphorus, elemental, white or yellow
- Sulfuryl fluoride
Incapacitating Agents
Drugs that make people unable to think clearly or that cause an altered state of consciousness (possibly unconsciousness)
Long-Acting Anticoagulants
Poisons that prevent blood from clotting properly, which can lead to uncontrolled bleeding
Metals
Agents that consist of metallic poisons
Nerve Agents
Highly poisonous chemicals that work by preventing the nervous system from working properly
Organic Solvents
Agents that damage the tissues of living things by dissolving fats and oils
Riot Control Agents/Tear Gas
Highly irritating agents normally used by law enforcement for crowd control or by individuals for protection (for example, mace)
- Bromobenzylcyanide (CA)
- Chloroacetophenone (CN)
- Chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile (CS)
- Chloropicrin (PS)
- Dibenzoxazepine (CR)
Toxic Alcohols
Poisonous alcohols that can damage the heart, kidneys, and nervous system
Vomiting Agents
Chemicals that cause nausea and vomiting
- Adamsite (DM)
- Page last reviewed: April 8, 2013
- Page last updated: May 6, 2016
- Content source: National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)
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