'Tear gas' is a chemical weapon strictly used for riot control by police and military forces worldwide to disperse aggressive crowds. Despite its name, it is actually not a gas at all, but an aerosolized powder.
Under the Geneva Protocol, the use of tear gas is completely banned in international warfare/battlefields. However, it remains legal for domestic police forces to use it for internal riot control!
The most common and widely used type of tear gas is known as CS Gas.
Its chemical formula is: C₁₀H₅ClN₂
The full IUPAC chemical name for this compound is 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile.
While CS gas is the most popular today because it acts very fast, other historical tear gases include:
When a tear gas grenade explodes, it releases the chemical powder into the air as a fine white smoke. The chemical specifically targets the TRPA1 pain receptors in the human body. When it touches the moisture in your eyes, mouth, nose, and lungs, it triggers an intense, burning pain. The body immediately tries to wash the chemical away by producing massive amounts of tears, mucus, and coughing.
The chemical is not highly soluble in water. The best immediate remedy is to get to fresh, blowing air to blow the powder off your body. If washing, use large amounts of cold running water and soap. Never rub your eyes, as it grinds the powder deeper into the skin.
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