ABSTRACT
Applied Chemistry and physics provides responders with identification and risk management tools. Using Applied Chemistry and Physics will help responders to understand the hazardous materials, their hazards and how to safely undertake the stabilization of the incident. Science of hazardous materials involves the study of chemistry. Chemistry cannot be discussed without examining the Periodic Table of Elements. For the purposes of “applied chemistry,” electrons have no weight. For the purposes of “applied chemistry,” only 13 hydrocarbon derivative families are presented; they are the most common and most likely compounds to be encountered by emergency responders. The first eight hydrocarbon derivative families—alkyl halide, nitro, ether, amine, cyanide, isocyanate, organic peroxide and sulfur compounds—are considered nonpolar families for the purposes of “applied chemistry”. Therefore, in applied chemistry and physics, weapons of mass destruction materials will be treated as to their chemical and physical makeup rather than the special circumstances in which they are used.
