Nerve Agents
By U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Posted 3/29/06
Overview
Nerve agents do damage by affecting the nervous system of victims. These agents are of the greatest concern because of the low amounts needed to produce significant symptoms and even death. These agents include:
- Sarin
- Soman
- Tabun
- VX
Sarin
Basic Facts
- Sarin is a manufactured compound that is colorless, odorless, and tasteless.
- Sarin can take a gas or liquid form and is highly volatile and lethal.
- Sarin is absorbed through the skin or respiratory tract and causes severe respiratory damage.
- Even very small amounts can kill people.
- Vaporized sarin stays near the ground.
- Sarin remains deadly in warm, dry temperatures but can degrade in humidity.
Sarin as a Weapon
- Sarin can be released into the air and expose people through ingestion or contact with the skin or eyes.
- Sarin can be released into water and expose people who touch or drink the contaminated water.
- Sarin can be used to contaminate food.
- Sarin is most dangerous in enclosed spaces.
- Victims need only be exposed to a small amount to become ill.
- Sarin was used by Aum Shinrikyo, a Japanese cult, in a 1995 Tokyo subway attack, which demonstrated to the world that it could be used as a terrorist weapon.
Sarin Illness
Symptoms include:
- Difficulty breathing, tightness in chest, and respiratory arrest
- Nausea, drowsiness, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Confusion and seizures
- Drooling, runny nose, eye irritation, and tearing
- Severe muscle weakness
Sarin Diagnosis and Treatment
- With large doses, death can occur within seconds to minutes after exposure.
- Rapid recognition after a suspected attack is the key to successful treatment.
- Atropine and pralidoxime are the preferred antidotes but must be used quickly to be effective.
- Oxygen should be administered to those having difficulty breathing.
Lessening the Impact of Sarin Exposure
- Move away from the site of exposure immediately, and move to higher ground for fresh air.
- Remove outer layer of clothing, place it in a plastic bag, and seal as soon as possible.
- Immediately wash body thoroughly with soap and water.
- Flush irritated eyes with plain water for 10 to 15 minutes.
- If you have ingested sarin, do not induce vomiting or drink fluids.
- Seek medical attention immediately.
Soman
Basic Facts
- Soman is also known as GD.
- Soman is a clear, colorless, tasteless liquid that can smell fruity or like oil of camphor.
- Soman can be heated into a vapor form.
- Soman is not found naturally in the environment.
- Soman as a Weapon
- Soman is a human-made chemical warfare agent.
- Germany developed soman as an insecticide in 1944.
- Soman is suspected of being used during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s.
- Soman can be released into the air in vapor form.
- Soman could be used in liquid form to poison water or food.
Soman Illness
- People can get sick after inhaling soman or by absorbing it through skin or eye contact.
- People can get sick by drinking poisoned water or swimming in contaminated water.
- Illness can follow eating food contaminated with soman.
- Symptoms will appear within a few seconds after exposure to the vapor form of soman.
- In liquid form, soman produces symptoms within a few minutes or up to 18 hours after exposure.
- Even a tiny drop of the nerve agent on the skin can cause sweating and muscle twitching at the site of contact.
- Low or moderate doses of soman cause the following symptoms:
Runny nose
Watery eyes
Small, pinpoint pupils
Eye pain
Blurred vision
Drooling and excessive sweating
Cough
Chest tightness
Rapid breathing
Diarrhea
Increased urination
Confusion
Drowsiness
Weakness
Headache
Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain
Slow or fast heart rate
Abnormally low or high blood pressure - Exposure to a large dose of soman, by any route, may result in these additional health effects:
Loss of consciousness
Convulsions
Paralysis
Respiratory failure, possibly leading to death - Vapors can be trapped on a person's clothing and can expose others.
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