what is the chemical composition of nerve gas

Names

Chemical formula	C 4 H 10 FO 2 P
Molar mass	140.094 g·mol −1
Appearance	Clear colorless liquid, brownish if impu ...
Odor	Odorless in pure form. Impure sarin can ...

Apr 26 2022

Full Answer

What is nerve gas?

3 rows · Chemical formula. C 4 H 10 FO 2 P. Molar mass. 140.094 g·mol −1. Appearance. Clear colorless ...

What is the color of nerve agent?

nerve gas, Weapon of chemical warfare that affects the transmission of nerve impulses through the nervous system. The organophosphorus nerve agents Tabun, Sarin, and Soman were developed by Germany during World War II but not used. They and a newer agent, VX, were produced in huge quantities by the U.S. and Soviet Union during the Cold War; their stockpiling …

Was nerve gas used in WW2?

How many types of nerve agents are there?

What chemicals are in nerve gas?

What is VX made of?

What type of poison is nerve gas?

Who made VX nerve agent?

What is the deadliest chemical weapon?

What is VX used for?

Is there an antidote for nerve gas?

How much sarin is lethal?

What is nerve agent?

Nerve agents, sometimes also called nerve gases, are a class of organic chemicals that disrupt the mechanisms by which nerves transfer messages to organs. The disruption is caused by the blocking of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), an enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter.

What happens when you get poisoned by a nerve agent?

Poisoning by a nerve agent leads to constriction of pupils, profuse salivation, convulsions, and involuntary urination and defecation, with the first symptoms appearing in seconds after exposure.

How do nerve agents affect the nervous system?

All such agents function the same way resulting in cholinergic crisis: they inhibit the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, which is responsible for the breakdown of acetylcholine (ACh) in the synapses between nerves that control whether muscle tissues are to relax or contract. If the agent cannot be broken down, muscles are prevented from receiving 'relax' signals and they are effectively paralyzed. It is the compounding of this paralysis throughout the body that quickly leads to more severe complications, including the heart and the muscles used for breathing. Because of this, the first symptoms usually appear within 30 seconds of exposure and death can occur via asphyxiation or cardiac arrest in a few minutes, depending upon the dose received and the agent used.

How long does nerve agent poisoning last?

Possible effects that can last at least up to 2–3 years after exposure include blurred vision, tiredness, declined memory, hoarse voice, palpitations, sleeplessness, shoulder stiffness and eye strain.

When was the first nerve agent synthesized?

This series is the first and oldest family of nerve agents. The first nerve agent ever synthesized was GA ( Tabun) in 1936. GB ( Sarin) was discovered next in 1939, followed by GD ( Soman) in 1944, and finally the more obscure GF ( Cyclosarin) in 1949.

Is VX a dermal agent?

The consistency of these agents is similar to oil; as a result, the contact hazard for V-agents is primarily – but not exclusively – dermal. VX was the only V-series agent that was fielded by the US as a munition, in rockets, artillery shells, airplane spray tanks, and landmines.

Is nerve agent a carbamate?

Contrary to some claims, not all nerve agents are organophosphates. A large group of them are carbamates like EA-3990 and EA-4056, both of which have been claimed to be about 3 times more toxic than VX. Both the USA and the Soviet Union developed carbamate nerve agents during the Cold War. They are sometimes grouped as "fourth generation" agents along with the Novichok agents due to their falling outside the definitions of controlled substances under the CWC .

What is nerve gas?

Nerve gas is a chemical found in pesticides. You may be exposed to nerve gas by breathing the fumes or getting it on your skin. This may happen during an accidental spill or intentional release to cause harm. Nerve gas may cause severe symptoms and be life-threatening.

How to keep nerve gas from spreading?

This may help to keep the nerve gas in one place and keep it from spreading. Decontamination: You must remove clothing that has nerve gas on it. Clothes, wallets, purses, jewelry, and other belongings may be taken for decontamination. Some items may need to be thrown away.

What items can be taken for decontamination?

Clothes, wallets, purses, jewelry, and other belongings may be taken for decontamination. Some items may need to be thrown away. Antidote: This is a medicine given to reverse your signs and symptoms. Even with treatment, you may have severe and long-lasting nerve or brain damage.

How to keep air from coming in?

Hold your breath until you can get to a safer spot. If you are outside, go inside. Close all the doors and windows. Shut off heating or air conditioning to keep outside air from coming in.

How to keep your house from getting cold?

Hold your breath until you can get to a safer spot. If you are outside, go inside. Close all the doors and windows. Shut off heating or air conditioning to keep outside air from coming in. Remove clothing: Do not shake your clothing. Put the items in a bag if you have one, and tie or tightly close the top.

How to get rid of a swollen ear?

Close all the doors and windows. Shut off heating or air conditioning to keep outside air from coming in. Remove clothing: Do not shake your clothing. Put the items in a bag if you have one, and tie or tightly close the top. Ask your healthcare provider if and how you should dispose of the bag.

How to dispose of a bag?

Wash your entire body: Take a shower as soon as possible. Use soap and water or cleaning solutions provided by healthcare providers. Wash your hair.

What is the fate of sarin?

The fate of sarin in the blood is a major determinant of how much sarin reaches the central nervous system and other sites of systemic toxicity. In the blood, sarin first interacts with several esterases... Some of the esterases, such as paraoxonase, hydrolyze sarin to inactive metabolites. Two other blood esterases - AChE and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) - irreversibly bind to sarin. AChE found on the surface of red blood cells (RBCs), although chemically indistinguishable from AChE in the nervous system, has unknown physiological functions. These esterases in the blood are often described as "false targets" - by binding irreversibly to sarin, AChE and BuChE sequester sarin in the blood, thereby preventing some or all from reaching the CNS. However, esterases in the blood can be overwhelmed by high doses of sarin. The acute cholinergic syndrome occurs when RBC AChE is inhibited by 75 to 80 percent

Is sarin a carcinogen?

Limited data are available on chronic or repeated exposure to sarin. The available data however, suggest that sarin is not a human carcinogen, reproductive toxin, or developmental toxin. Limited data suggest that chronic or repeated exposure to sarin may result in a delayed postural sway and/or impaired psychomotor performance (neuropathy).

What is sarin IMPA?

Sarin hydrolyzes into isopropyl methylphosphonic acid ( IMPA ), a compound detected in groundwater from prior chemical warfare agent (CWA) production. This study determined the acute toxicity of IMPA to golden shiner, Notemigonus crysoleucas, and channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, eggs and 15-days posthatch (dph) fry. The median lethal concentration (LC50) values at time of hatch for golden shiner and channel catfish eggs were 66.6 mg/L (hatched in 72 hr) and 167.5 mg/L (hatched in 168 hr) IMPA, respectively. The 96-hr LC50 estimates for 15-dph golden shiner and channel catfish fry were 93.9 and 144.1 mg/L IMPA, respectively. The lowest LC50 value from the most sensitive species in this study is approximately 100 times greater than the human adult lifetime drinking water health advisory value, and is approximately 2500 times greater than the critical reporting limit (> or =0.025 mg/L) for IMPA detection in groundwater from CWA production. These results are critical in understanding the toxicological properties of this potential environmental contaminant. /Isopropyl methylphosphonic acid/

How does sarin release to the environment?

Sarin's production may result in its release to the environment through various waste streams; its use as a chemical warfare agent and nerve gas will result in its direct release to the environment. If released to air, a vapor pressure of 2.86 mm Hg at 25 °C indicates sarin will exist solely as a vapor in the atmosphere. Vapor-phase sarin will be degraded in the atmosphere by reaction with photochemically-produced hydroxyl radicals; the half-life for this reaction in air is estimated to be 9.6 hours. The UV absorption spectrum of sarin in cyclohexane solution does not exhibit any absorption above 290 nm; therefore, sarin is not expected to degrade through direct photolysis in the environment. If released to soil, sarin is expected to have very high mobility based upon an estimated Koc of 16. The importance of leaching in moist soil will be attenuated due to sarin's ability to hydrolyze in water. Laboratory and field studies have demonstrated that sarin evaporates rapidly from non-absorbing surfaces, even at extremely cold temperatures. Two soil persistence studies conducted by the US Army found that 90% or more of sarin added to soil will be lost in the first five days. Biodegradation data for sarin were not available. If released into water, sarin is not expected to adsorb to suspended solids and sediment based upon the estimated Koc. Hydrolysis will be the major fate process in water. Sarin will degrade through aqueous hydrolysis which is pH and temperature dependent to HF and isopropyl methylphosphonic acid. The fastest rates of hydrolysis occur below pH 4 and above 6.5. In distilled water at 25 °C, the hydrolysis half-lives range from 75 hr at pH 7 to 0.8 hr at pH 9. The hydrolysis rate increases in seawater due to the catalytic effect of ions; the seawater hydrolysis half-life at pH 7.6 and 25 °C is about 1 hr. Volatilization from water surfaces occurs slowly. Estimated volatilization half-lives for a model river and model lake are 76 and 555 days, respectively. An estimated BCF of 3 suggests the potential for bioconcentration in aquatic organisms is low. Occupational exposure to sarin may occur through inhalation and dermal contact with this compound at workplaces where sarin is produced or used in demilitarization operations (SRC). Exposure to sarin occurs through vapor contact which is readily absorbable through not only the lungs and eyes but also the skin and intestinal tract. The general population will not be exposed to sarin unless it is used as a weapon; exposure to sarin, if used as a weapon, will be via inhalation of ambient air and dermal contact. (SRC)

Is Sarin a waste stream?

Sarin's production may result in its release to the environment through various waste streams (SRC); its use as a chemical warfare agent (1) and nerve gas (2) will result in its direct release to the environment (SRC).

What is the Henry's law constant for sarin?

The Henry's Law constant for sarin is estimated as 5.7X10-7 atm-cu m/mole (SRC) derived from its vapor pressure, 2.86 mm Hg at 25 °C (1), and water solubility, and assigned value for water solubility of 1.0X10+6 mg/L (miscible) (2). This Henry's Law constant indicates that sarin may volatilize slowly from water surfaces (3). It has been shown that the vapors above a water solution at 25 °C containing 140 ug/L sarin will contain 0.0004 ug/L sarin (1) which demonstrates an ability to volatilize slowly from water (SRC). Based on the Henry's Law constant, the volatilization half-life from a model river (1 m deep, flowing 1 m/sec, wind velocity of 3 m/sec) (3) is estimated as 76 days (SRC). The volatilization half-life from a model lake (1 m deep, flowing 0.05 m/sec, wind velocity of 0.5 m/sec) (3) is estimated as 555 days (SRC). With hydrolysis half-lives on the order of 24 to 237 hours at 25 °C (4), hydrolysis will attenuate any importance of volatilization from water (SRC). The potential for volatilization of sarin from dry soil surfaces may exist based upon its vapor pressure (SRC). Under ordinary atmospheric conditions, sarin has sufficiently high volatility to permit evaporation into air (5). At 10 °C, the time required for 90% of 1-mm-diameter droplets of sarin to evaporate from non-absorbing surfaces is only 0.24 hr (6); at 0 °C and -20 °C, the evaporation times are 0.58 hr and 1.8 hr, respectively (7). In field studies in Norway using snow, 55% of applied sarin was removed by evaporation within 5 hours (4).

What nerve agent is found in albumin?

The organophosphorus nerve agents sarin, soman, cyclosarin and tabun phosphylate a tyrosine residue on albumin in human blood. These adducts may offer relatively long-lived biological markers of nerve agent exposure that do not 'age' rapidly, and which are not degraded by therapy with oximes. Sensitive methods for the detection of these adducts have been developed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Adducts of all four nerve agents were detected in the blood of exposed guinea pigs being used in studies to improve medical countermeasures. The tyrosine adducts with soman and tabun were detected in guinea pigs receiving therapy 7 days following subcutaneous administration of five times the LD (50) dose of the respective nerve agent. VX also forms a tyrosine adduct in human blood in vitro but only at high concentrations.

What is Sarin chemical warfare?

What sarin is. Sarin is a human-made chemical warfare agent classified as a nerve agent. Nerve agents are the most toxic and rapidly acting of the known chemical warfare agents. They are similar to certain kinds of insecticides (insect killers) called organophosphates in terms of how they work and what kind of harmful effects they cause. ...

Is Sarin a chemical?

Sarin is a human-made chemical warfare agent classified as a nerve agent. Nerve agents are the most toxic and rapidly acting of the known chemical warfare agents . They are similar to certain kinds of insecticides (insect killers) called organophosphates in terms of how they work and what kind of harmful effects they cause.

When was sarin invented?

Sarin originally was developed in 1938 in Germany as a pesticide. Sarin is a clear, colorless, and tasteless liquid that has no odor in its pure form. However, sarin can evaporate into a vapor (gas) and spread into the environment. Sarin is also known as GB.

Where is Sarin found?

Where sarin is found and how it is used. Sarin is not found naturally in the environment. It is a man-made toxin. Sarin was used in two terrorist attacks in Japan in 1994 and 1995.

Can sarin be absorbed into water?

Sarin mixes easily with water. Following release of sarin into water, people can be exposed by touching or drinking water that contains sarin. Following contamination of food with sarin, people can be exposed by eating the contaminated food. A person’s clothing can release sarin after it has come in contact with sarin vapor, ...

Can sarin be released from clothing?

A person’s clothing can release sarin after it has come in contact with sarin vapor, which can lead to exposure of other people. Because sarin vapor is heavier than air, it will sink to low-lying areas and create a greater exposure hazard there.

How long does it take for sarin to show symptoms?

Symptoms likely will appear within a few seconds after exposure to the vapor form of sarin and within a few minutes to hours after exposure to the liquid form. All nerve agents cause their toxic effects by preventing the proper operation of an enzyme that acts as the body’s “off switch” for glands and muscles.

Is Sarin a chemical?

Sarin ( NATO designation GB [short for G-series, "B"]) is an extremely toxic synthetic organophosphorus compound. A colourless, odourless liquid, it is used as a chemical weapon due to its extreme potency as a nerve agent.

Does Sarin affect the nervous system?

Health effects. Like some other nerve agents that affect the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, sarin attacks the nervous system by interfering with the degradation of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine at neuromuscular junctions.

What is Sarin used for?

Normally, acetylcholine is released from the neuron to stimulate the muscle, after which it is degraded by acetylcholinesterase, allowing the muscle to relax. A build-up of acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft, due to the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, means the neurotransmitter continues to act on the muscle fibre, so that any nerve impulses are effectively continually transmitted.

How does sarin work?

Sarin acts on acetylcholinesterase by forming a covalent bond with the particular serine residue at the active site. Fluoride is the leaving group, and the resulting phosphothioester is robust and biologically inactive. Its mechanism of action resembles that of some commonly used insecticides, such as malathion.

How long does sarin stay in your system?

Sarin in blood is rapidly degraded either in vivo or in vitro. Its primary inactive metabolites have in vivo serum half-lives of approximately 24 hours.

How does sarin react with water?

Sarin not only reacts with the water in the blood plasma through hydrolysis (forming so-called 'free metabolites'), but also reacts with various proteins to form 'protein adducts'. These protein adducts are not so easily removed from the body, and remain for a longer period of time than the free metabolites.

Is sarin poisonous to mice?

Toxicity. As a nerve gas, sarin in its purest form is estimated to be 26 times more deadly than cyanide. The LD50 of subcutaneously injected sarin in mice is 172 μg/kg. Sarin is highly toxic, whether by contact with the skin or breathed in.

Overview

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Biological effects

Methods of spreading

History

Detection

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