A method for the determination of a mustard gas biomarker (an S-hydroxyethylthioethyl adduct with albumin) in blood plasma was optimized with the use of HPLC with tandem mass-spectrometric detection. This method is based on the hydrolysis of this adduct by the proteinase K enzyme with the formation of the following stable tripeptide with cysteine, proline, and phenylalanine: S-HETECys-Pro-Phe. The detection limit of mustard gas in human blood plasma was 2 ng/ml. The approach proposed was tested in the analysis of human blood plasma samples by the standard addition technique and also within the framework of the first official biomedical test carried out by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in 2016, and it exhibited a good accuracy, reproducibility, and specificity of determination.

The article presents the results of the study of samples taken in 2017 by the specialists from the «48 Central Scientific Research Institute» of the Ministry of Defence of Russia in the course of the survey of deathplaces of animals in the territories of Yamal region of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District, contaminated by the Bacillus anthracis agent. Thirty two samples have been taken during the survey. Realtime PCR identified specific fragments of B. anthracis DNA in two of them – in the ash, taken at the spot of the cremation of the reindeer`s corpse and in the biological material from one of the unburned corpses. Pure microbial cultures of B. anthracis agent have been obtained from these samples. They all possessed the biological properties, typical for high virulent B. anthracis strains. The lethal dose (LD₅₀) for white mice turned out to be 5.8 and 6.2 spores for No 3 and No 13 isolates consequently, and the average lifetime of animals since the moment of contamination till death did not exceed 3.5 days. The genetic typing of the isolated isolates for 18 VNTR-loci of the chromosomal localization showed that their genotypes were identic to the B. anthracis strain Yamal-1, obtained by the experts from the branch offfice of the «48 Central Scientific Research Institute» of the Ministry of Defence of Russia (Kirov) from the corpse of a reindeer during the liquidation of the anthrax epizootic in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District in summer 2016. The coincidence of the genetic profiles of the isolated microbial cultures and B. anthracis strain Yamal-1 indicated one common source of their origin and the presence of the stable focus of B. anthracis at the territory of Yamal District. This fact needs more attention from local authorities and requires concerted attention to the epizootic and epidemiological situation in the region.

The article is dedicated to the possible improvement of the production technology of live plaque vaccines. The automated information system (AIS) of the control of the production of pharmaceuticals has been elaborated in the branch office of the «48 Central Scientific Research Institute» of the Ministry of Defence of Russia (Kirov) within the framework of the federal target program «The National System of Chemical and Biological Security of the Russian Federation». The AIS has been used for the improvement of the technology of submerged cultivation of live plaque vaccine. Strain EV, line NIIEG, as well as the upgraded fermenter BIOR-0,25 with the AIS of the control of the production have been used in this work. The problems of the improvement of the production technology of pharmaceuticals have been studied. The possibility of shared use of the fermenters and AIS of the control of the production of pharmaceuticals has been proven experimentally. This hardware system can accumulate, systemize and record scientific and technical information about all the operations. The above-mentioned studies allow to enhance the technological capabilities of the equipment and to improve the stage of the submerged cultivation in the production of live plaque vaccine.

Multifunctional mobile module complex for analysis of pathogenic biological materials (agents) (MKA PBA) and for the support of the decisions of the operational groups of the Ministry of Defence of Russia in case of biological emergencies, has been elaborated within the framework of the federal target program «The National System of Chemical and Biological Security of the Russian Federation (2009–2013)». The developer is OAO «NPO «Transkom» (PJSC «Research and Production Association «Transkom») together with the federal state budgetary establishment «48 Central Scientific Research Institute» of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation. The complex provides life support of the crew during 14 days and nights of autonomous work. The equipment of the complex allows to reveal and identify up to 25 agents of infectious diseases: plague, anthrax, glanders, melioidosis, cholera, typhoid, brucellosis, legionellosis, tularemia, orthopoxvirus diseases, Q fever, rabies, Rift Valley fever, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, Marburg fever, Ebola fever, Lassa fever, Machupo fever, West Niles fever, epidemic nephritis, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, Dengue haemorrhagic fever, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and tick-borne encephalitis. In case of the absence of any stationary operational bases, MKA PBA can provide the fulfilling sanitary-epidemiological requirements SP 1.3.3118-13 «Security work with microorganisms I–II pathogenicity groups (hazard)». The complex can reveal pathogenic biological agents in no less than 20 samples simultaneously with probability 0,95. The duration of the preliminary analysis and the evaluation of biological environment in the emergency zone is no less than 15 minutes. The alleged service life of the complex is 12 years.

The introduction of poison gases by the Germans at Ypres in April 1915 marked a new era in modern warfare. The cylinder attack of the German Army against the French and the British positions at Ypres on April 22, 1915, became the first large-scale appearance of the new kind of weapons, chemical weapons, on the battlefields of World War 1. The widespread use of chemical munitions of different types, numerous toxic agents and their delivery systems (field and heavy artillery, mortars and Livens projectors) by all the belligerents influenced military tactics and operational art at World War 1. In 1915-1916, during the period of trench warfare, the use of chemical weapons for breaking through the enemy`s first defence lines changed the structure of combat orders and led to their dispersal and the deployment in depth of the defensive zone. In 1917 chemical weapons made it possible to overcome the contradiction between the lengthy preliminary artillery bombardment and the surprise of the offensive. The unprecedented artillery chemical bombardments fired by the German Army, artillery chemical battle, resulted in the significant success of the Germans in spring offensives in 1918, when large parts of the front were given up by the retiring Allied forces. The dynamics of the growth of the chemical warfare agents` (CWA) production, the development of means and methods for delivering the agents efficiently to the target by the Allied countries allowed the authors to suggest that in case Germany had not signed the armistice of 11 November 1918 with the Allies, the large-scale battlefield use of chemical weapons could multiply both in quality and in quantity. The development of the bombardment aviation and the inability of Germany to carry out a retaliatory chemical attack, that became obvious at the end of 1918, offered a golden opportunity for the Allies to use chemical agents in 1919 without any legal or humanitarian limitation on the methods of warfare. This article is concerned also with tactical and operational objectives and targets the belligerents tried to achieve by using chemical weapons during separate battles, the evolution of chemical weapons and chemical warfare agents and their joint impact on military operations at the battlefields of World War 1.