Chemical warfare equipment

Equipment used for chemical warfare include protective equipment such as gas masks and suits, as well as gas detection kits for gases, medication, and auto-injectors in case of exposure to chemicals, etc. The main risk with these collection items lies mainly in the fact that it is not known for sure which chemical reagents are involved.

1. Unknown chemicals | The presence of chemicals that are undefined so it is not known what risks are associated with their manipulation. For example, the chemical detection kits.
2. Unknown substances | Medical equipment used when exposed to chemicals such as an auto-injector.
3. Asbestos | Equipment used for protection against chemicals but that contain asbestos, for example gas masks.

Chemical detection kits were mainly used during the Cold War and served to detect the presence of gases such as phosgene, hydrogen cyanide, and cyanogen chloride. The main risk with these objects lies mainly in the fact that it is not known for sure which chemical reagents are in the test kit. Unfortunately, no further information on these objects and their contents has been preserved within the Belgian army archives.

It would therefore be a good option, in a further continuation of the investigation into the potential presence of hazardous substances, to examine the content of these detection kits in a laboratory.

Also within the collection are auto-injectors: these auto-injectors are the ones that were used on site in case of chemical exposure. There are however also training autoinjectors inside the collection. The main risk associated with such objects is the accidental administration of the auto-injector.

For all information related to asbestos, please check this page.

Table of content

Heavy metals | Old pesticides  | Medical equipment  | Chemical warfare equipment  | Asbestos