Science and Technology
In News: The recent Nord Stream explosions in the Baltic took place northeast of Bornholm, a major dumping ground for German chemicals and explosives including mustard gas.
About Mustard Gas:
- Mustard gas or sulphur mustard is a cytotoxic and blister agent used in warfare which is not actually a gas, but is in the form of a fine mist of liquid droplets
- Such compounds prevent cellular division, leading to programmed cell death. Alternatively, if cell death is not immediate, the damaged DNA can lead to the development of cancer. Oxidative stress is another pathology involved in mustard gas toxicity.
- It can form large blisters on exposed skin and in the lungs.
- Relation with Nord Stream: During the pre-laying works for Nord Stream 1 in the Danish EEZ, four KC 250 mustard gas bombs were discovered.
- Effects: Mustard gas has burned people in the area including 25 Polish fishermen, and 102 children.
- The chemicals have severely affected marine life around Bornholm contaminating 196 tonnes of fish
MUST READ: Nord Stream Pipeline
Source: Down to Earth
Previous Year Question
Q.1) With reference to two non-conventional energy sources called ‘coalbed methane’ and ‘shale gas’, consider the following statements:
- Coalbed methane is the pure methane gas extracted from coal seams, while shale gas is a mixture of propane and butane only that can be extracted from fine-grained sedimentary rocks.
- In India, abundant coalbed methane sources exist, but so far, no shale gas sources have been found.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
