NAPALM TOXICITY

Course overview

NAPALM IS A WEAPONIZED MIXTURE OF CHEMICALS DESIGNED TO CREATE A HIGHLY FLAMMABLE AND GELATINOUS LIQUID. DETONATION THEN OCCURS BY VARIOUS EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS THAT IGNITE PHOSPHOROUS WHICH BURNS AT A TEMPERATURE ADEQUATE TO IGNITE THE FUEL MIXTURE. THE CONSISTENCY OF NAPALM RESULTS IN ITS TENDENCY TO ADHERE TO EXPOSED SURFACES, INCREASING ITS LETHALITY AND DESTRUCTIVE CAPABILITY. THE TOXICITY OF NAPALM COMES FROM MULTIPLE ETIOLOGIES. BURNS ARE THE MOST OBVIOUS HARM, BUT THE DELIVERY OF NAPALM MAY COME FROM EXPLOSIVE DELIVERY DEVICES LEADING TO BLAST-BURN INJURIES. BURNING NAPALM RAPIDLY DE-OXYGENATES THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT CAUSING ASPHYXIATION. BY-PRODUCTS OF FLAMING NAPALM INCLUDE HIGH LEVELS OF CARBON MONOXIDE AND CARBON DIOXIDE THAT CAN LEAD TO TOXICITY. SOME TYPES OF NAPALM USE POLYSTYRENE CHEMICALS THAT CONVERT TO STYRENE WHICH IS A NEUROTOXIN AND LIKELY CARCINOGEN. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT/PREVENTION OF NAPALM TOXICITY, AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, DIAGNOSING, AND MANAGING THE CONDITION.