Ministry of Defence
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Cutting the mustard
A new technique to detect chemical warfare agents using white mustard plants has been developed.
Following the investigations of the use of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) in Syria last year, the threat of deadly toxic chemicals in conflict is ever more serious.
However, a new technique developed by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), a trading fund of the UK Ministry of Defence, has found a way to detect suchCWAs just by using the humble white mustard plant.
In a groundbreaking research project, UCLan and Dstl have shown the white mustard plant can be used to detect previously undetectable levels of nerve agents in CWAs, including the deadly VX agent.
The VX agent is a persistent liquid which is easily dispersed and highly toxic when breathed in or absorbed through the skin.
