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Lecturer(s)
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Otřísal Pavel, prof. Ing. Ph.D., MBA
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Course content
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1. Introduction to the course and the historical development and use of chemical weapons. 2. Fundamental physical and chemical properties of chemical substances relevant to population protection. 3. Industrial chemicals and their hazardous properties. 4. Chemical warfare agents, their properties, effects, and protective measures. 5. Non-lethal chemical agents and protection against their effects. 6. Contemporary trends in chemical weapons development. 7. Risk analysis and assessment associated with hazardous chemical releases. 8. Influence of meteorological conditions on the atmospheric dispersion of chemical substances. 9. Peaceful uses of chemistry, the international chemical weapons prohibition regime, and disarmament treaties. 10. Protection of the population against the effects of chemical weapons and hazardous industrial chemicals. 11. Fundamental principles of decontamination and detoxification.
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Monologic Lecture(Interpretation, Training), Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Work with Text (with Book, Textbook), Analyzing and producing soundtrack, Analyzing and producing audiovisual content
- Attendace
- 26 hours per semester
- Semestral Work
- 20 hours per semester
- Homework for Teaching
- 10 hours per semester
- Preparation for the Course Credit
- 6 hours per semester
- Preparation for the Exam
- 22 hours per semester
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Learning outcomes
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The aim of the course is to provide students with a sound foundation for understanding chemical threats associated with CBRN incidents and assessing their consequences from the perspective of population protection. The course focuses on the historical development and use of chemical weapons, the fundamental physical and chemical properties of chemical substances, the characteristics of industrial chemicals and chemical warfare agents, their effects on human health, and protective measures against them. Attention is also paid to non-lethal chemical agents, contemporary trends in chemical weapons development, and the international regime governing their prohibition and disarmament. Emphasis is placed on the analysis and assessment of risks associated with the release of hazardous chemicals, the influence of meteorological conditions on their atmospheric dispersion, the principles of population protection, measures to reduce exposure, and the fundamentals of decontamination and detoxification. Through scenario-based activities, students assess the nature of chemical threats, propose appropriate protective measures, and distinguish actions that individuals or teachers can undertake from those requiring intervention by specialized emergency response personnel. The course also develops students' ability to search for, critically evaluate, and interpret relevant scientific and professional information, independently prepare and present a specialist topic, and substantiate their conclusions. Students apply the acquired knowledge to communicate selected aspects of chemical threats and principles of safe behaviour to school pupils in a factually accurate, comprehensible, and age-appropriate manner.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: 1. Explain the historical context of the emergence, development, and use of chemical weapons and describe contemporary trends in their development. 2. Explain the significance of the fundamental physical and chemical properties of chemical substances for their behaviour in the environment, potential human exposure, and atmospheric dispersion of hazardous substances. 3. Distinguish between the main categories of industrial chemicals and chemical warfare agents, describe their properties, potential routes of exposure, effects on humans, and the fundamental principles of protection against their harmful effects. 4. Characterize non-lethal chemical agents and assess the associated security threats from the perspective of population protection. 5. Analyse a scenario involving the release of a hazardous chemical substance, identify the source and nature of the threat, and assess the principal factors affecting the level of risk, including meteorological conditions. 6. Propose appropriate measures to reduce exposure and protect the population in the event of a chemical threat, distinguishing actions that individuals or teachers can undertake from procedures requiring intervention by specialized emergency response personnel. 7. Explain the fundamental principles of decontamination and detoxification and their importance in protecting individuals against the harmful effects of hazardous chemicals. 8. Explain the fundamental principles of the international chemical weapons prohibition regime, the peaceful use of chemistry, and disarmament treaties relating to chemical weapons. 9. Search for, interpret, compare, and critically evaluate scientific and professional information related to chemical threats, use reliable sources, and substantiate conclusions with relevant evidence. 10. Independently prepare and present a selected specialist topic using accurate terminology, justify the chosen approach, and respond to relevant arguments and comments in professional discussion. 11. Transform selected aspects of chemical threats or protective measures into factually accurate, comprehensible, and age-appropriate educational content for school pupils, linking specialist knowledge with practical principles of health protection and safe behaviour. The course contributes primarily to the development of competencies defined in the Competence Framework for Graduate Teachers (KRAAU): 1.1 (subject-specific knowledge and its continuing development), 1.2 (pedagogical transformation and communication of subject content), and selected aspects of competency 6.2 (responsible use of information and digital tools).
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Prerequisites
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Successful completion of the Fundamentals of Toxicology course (KAT/ZATO for full-time study or KAT/KZATO for the combined mode of study) is a prerequisite for enrolment in this course. The course builds upon knowledge acquired in Fundamentals of Toxicology and further develops its application to the assessment of the properties and effects of industrial chemicals and chemical warfare agents, the risks associated with exposure to these substances, and measures to protect the population against their harmful effects.
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Oral exam, Written exam, Seminar Work, Written exam
Course completion requirements: 1. Attendance at a minimum of 80% of seminars. 2. Active participation in scenario-based activities and practical tasks. 3. Completion of a compulsory individual seminar assignment in the form of an interactive video presentation on an assigned or previously approved topic. The assignment must be based on appropriately identified and cited specialist sources and submitted through Moodle by the specified deadline. Revisions may be required following the instructor's assessment. 4. An individual seminar presentation is optional; its academic quality may be taken into account under previously published assessment criteria. 5. Successful completion of the course credit requirements and the final assessment. Examination: The final assessment is conducted on site under the instructor's supervision as a written Moodle test consisting of 50 scored closed-ended and short-answer items. Scores of 40-50 points form the basis for grading according to a published grading scale; students scoring below 40 points undergo an oral assessment in accordance with the instructor's arrangements. Optional formative practice tests are available through Moodle and do not contribute to the final grade. Approved accommodations for students with specific needs are respected.
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Recommended literature
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ČESKO. HASIČSKÝ ZÁCHRANNÝ SBOR. GENERÁLNÍ ŘEDITELSTVÍ. (2017). Bojový řád jednotek požární ochrany. Ostrava.
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ČESKO. Vyhláška Ministerstva vnitra č. 380/2002 Sb., k přípravě a provádění úkolů ochrany obyvatelstva. 2022.
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DORUK, Bartu. (2025). CBRN Defence in the Arctic Context: Preparedness and Operational Challenges. Vyškov.
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DVORÁK, Ondřej. (2025). Chemie jde do války. Praha.
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FLORUS, Stanislav a Pavel OTŘÍSAL. (2015). Konstrukce obličejových masek. Brno.
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FLORUS, Stanislav. (2022). Základy izolační ochrany povrchu těla. Brno.
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HASIČSKÝ ZÁCHRANNÝ SBOR ČESKÉ REPUBLIKY. Moduly dle platné Koncepce vzdělávání v oblasti ochrany obyvatelstva a krizového řízení. 2017.
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HUBÁČEK, Petr, Radka FILIPČÍKOVÁ, Karel BÍLEK, Michal HRUBÝ a kolektiv. (2021). Dekontaminace zraněných osob. Olomouc.
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KOBLIHA, Zbyněk, Tomáš ROZSYPAL a Emil HALÁMEK. (2024). Chemie bojových chemických látek. Brno.
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NOVOTNÝ, Tomáš. (2021). Nesmrtící zbraně a další technické prostředky. Praha.
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OTŘÍSAL, Pavel. (2019). Nové přístupy k ochraně proti zbraním hromadného ničení v operacích: vysokoškolská učebnice. Brno.
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PITSCHMANN, Vladimír a kolektiv. (2011). Chemické zbraně a ochrana proti nim. Praha.
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PITSCHMANN, Vladimír. (2012). Chemici v laboratoři a na bitevním poli: kapitoly z dějin chemických, toxinových a zápalných zbraní: období od roku 1914 do roku 1945. Praha.
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PITSCHMANN, Vladimír. (2016). Chemická válka ve věku atomu a DNA: kapitoly z dějin chemických, toxinových a zápalných zbraní: období od roku 1945 do roku 2015. Praha.
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POLÍVKA, Lubomír, Otakar J. MIKA a Jozef SABOL. (2017). Nebezpečné chemické látky a průmyslové havárie. Praha.
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SLABOTINSKÝ, Jiří a Jakub VANĚK. (2020). Permeace toxických látek materiály OOP v teorii a praxi. Ostrava.
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SLABOTINSKÝ, Jiří, Jakub VANĚK, Pavel ČASTULÍK a Stanislav FLORUS. (2024). Filtrační ochrana dýchání a povrchu těla. Brno.
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STEC, Anna. (2024). Minimalizace expozice hasičů toxickým zplodinám požáru. Ostrava.
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STŘEDA, Ladislav. (2013). 15 let po vstupu Úmluvy o zákazu chemických zbraní v platnost: úsilí o chemické odzbrojení pokračuje. Praha.
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TUCKER, Jonathan B. (2025). Válka nervů: chemická válka od první světové války po Al-Káidu. Praha.
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VĚŽNÍKOVÁ, Hana. (2019). Transport nebezpečných věcí. Ostrava.
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ZAHRADNÍČEK, Radim. (2019). Důsledky vzniku radiačních, chemických a biologických událostí: studijní text. Brno.
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ZAHRADNÍČEK, Radim, Kamil BEDNÁŘ a Petr ŽUJA. Zbraně hromadného ničení a ochrana proti nim: učebnice. Brno. 2023.
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