A Little Information about the Nerve Agent Sarin (GB)

Casualties of the 1995 Tokyo Sarin gas attack

As you may have heard, it has been speculated that the Syrian government has employed the use of Sarin gas (also known as GB) to quash the on-going civil strife in that country.  Sarin gas is a highly toxic nerve agent similar to VX and can kill within seconds by attacking the body’s “off switch” for both glands and muscle, causing continuous stimulation until they cease functioning.  It is a colorless and tasteless liquid which may have a slightly fruity odor, and is delivered as a vapor during an attack.  Sarin was developed by the Germans in 1938 as a pesticide and was used in 1988 by the Iraqis against the Kurdish city of Halabja; in 1994 by the Aum Shinrikyo sect on a subway in Matsumoto and again in 1995 on a subway in Tokyo, Japan; in 2004 by Iraqi insurgents against US troops; and (possibly) in 2012/13 by Syrian military against rebel forces.

Below is the Sarin/Cyclosarin section of my book, Surviving Terrorism.  Once again, the text did not transfer well from the book – my apologies.  

Sarin (GB) and Cyclosarin (GF)

(Since GB and GF have the same health effects they will be discussed as one in this section)

What is sarin
• Sarin and cyclosarin are human-made chemical warfare agents classified as a nerve agents and are both essentially the same in their effect. Nerve agents are the most toxic and rapidly acting of the known chemical warfare agents. They are similar to certain kinds of pesticides called organophosphates in terms of how they work and what kind of harmful effects they cause. However, nerve agents are much more potent then organophosphate pesticides.
• Sarin originally was developed in 1938 in Germany as a pesticide. The name sarin is comes from the names of the chemists involved in its creation: Schrader, Ambros, Rudriger, and Van der Linde.
• Sarin is a clear, colorless, and tasteless liquid that has no odor in its pure form.
• Sarin may have a slightly fruity odor.
• Sarin can evaporate into a vapor (gas) and spread into the environment.
• Sarin is also known as “GB.”
• Cyclosarin was developed in Germany in 1949.
• Cyclosarin is a clear, colorless, and tasteless liquid.
• Cyclosarin may have a sweet odor like peaches.
• Cyclosarin evaporates 20 times longer than water to evaporate, making it a long-term hazard.
• Cyclosarin is also known as “GF.”
• Both sarin and cyclosarin are easy to create making them a likely terrorist agent.
• The “G” in any G-agent supposedly stands for “Germany” wherein they were developed.

Where sarin is found and how it is used
• Sarin and other nerve agents may have been used in chemical warfare during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s.
• Sarin was used in two terrorists attacks in Japan in 1994 and 1995.
• Sarin is not found naturally in the environment.
What happens to sarin when released into the environment
• When released into the air, sarin will be broken down by compounds that are found in the air, but may persist for a period of one day up to a few days before being broken down.
• Sarin will be broken down in water quickly, typically within 1 week, but small amounts may evaporate.
• Sarin will be broken down in moist soil, typically within 1 to 5 days. Small amounts may evaporate into the air or travel below the soil surface and contaminate ground water.
• Sarin will not accumulate in the food chain.
• Cyclosarin evaporates 20 times longer than water so it will persist in the environment for weeks.

How people can be exposed to sarin
• Following release of sarin into the air, people can be exposed through skin contact, eye contact, or inhalation (breathing in sarin).
• Sarin mixes easily with water, so it could be used to poison water. Following release of sarin into water, touching or drinking water that contains sarin can expose people.
• Following contamination of food with sarin, eating the contaminated food can expose people.
• A person’s clothing can release sarin for about 30 minutes (or longer in the case of cyclosarin) after it has come into contact with sarin vapor, which can lead to exposure of other people.
• Because sarin breaks down slowly in the body, people who are repeatedly exposed to sarin may suffer more harmful effects.
• Because sarin vapor is heavier than air, it will sink to low-lying areas and create a greater exposure hazard there.
How sarin works
• The extent of poisoning caused by sarin depends on the amount of sarin to which a person was exposed, how the person was exposed, and the length of time of the exposure.
• Symptoms will appear within a few seconds after exposure to the vapor form of sarin and within a few minutes up to 18 hours after exposure to the liquid form.
• The effects of sarin last longer than other nerve agents and can cause injury and death days later because of its viscosity.
• All the nerve agents cause their toxic effects by preventing the proper operation of the chemical that acts as the body’s “off switch” for glands and muscles. Without an “off switch,” the glands and muscles are constantly being stimulated. They may tire and no longer be able to sustain breathing and heart functions.
• Sarin is the most volatile of the nerve agents, which means that it can easily and quickly evaporate from a liquid into a vapor and spread into the environment. People can be exposed to the vapor even if they do not come into contact with the liquid form of sarin.
• Because it evaporates so quickly, sarin presents an immediate but short-lived threat.
Immediate signs and symptoms of sarin exposure
• People may not know that they were exposed because sarin has no odor.
• People exposed to a low or moderate dose of sarin by breathing contaminated air, eating contaminated food, drinking contaminated water, or touching contaminated surfaces may experience some or all of the following symptoms within seconds to hours of exposure:

• 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, and/or abdominal pain
• Slow or fast heart rate
• Low or high blood pressure

• Even a small drop of sarin on the skin can cause sweating and muscle twitching where the sarin touched the skin.
• Exposure to large doses of sarin by any route may result in the following harmful effects:

• Loss of consciousness
• Convulsions
• Paralysis
• Respiratory failure leading to death

• Showing these signs and symptoms does not necessarily mean that a person has been exposed to sarin.

How people can protect themselves, and what they should do if they are exposed to sarin
• Recovery from sarin exposure is possible with treatment, but the antidotes available must be used quickly to be effective. Therefore, the best thing to do is avoid exposure.
• Leave the area where the sarin was released and get to fresh air. Quickly moving to an area where fresh air is available is highly effective in reducing the possibility of death from exposure to sarin vapor.

• If the sarin release was outdoors, move away from the area where the sarin was released.
• Go to the highest ground possible, because sarin is heavier than air and will sink to low-lying areas.
• If the sarin release was indoors, get out of the building.

• If people think they may have been exposed, they should remove their clothing, rapidly wash their entire body with soap and water, and get medical care as quickly as possible.
• Remove and dispose of clothing:

• Quickly take off clothing that has liquid sarin on it. Any clothing that has to be pulled over the head should be cut off instead. If possible, seal the clothing in a plastic bag. Then seal the first plastic bag inside a second plastic bag. Removing and sealing the clothing in this way will help protect people from any chemicals that might be on their clothes.
• If clothes were placed in plastic bags, inform either the local or state health department or emergency personnel upon their arrival. Do not handle the plastic bags.
• If helping other people remove their clothing, try to avoid touching any contaminated areas, and remove the clothing as quickly as possible.

• Wash body thoroughly:

• As quickly as possible, wash any liquid sarin from the skin with large amounts of soap and water. Washing with soap and water will help protect people from any chemicals on their bodies.
• Rinse eyes with plain water for 10 to 15 minutes if they are burning or if vision is blurred. If you wear contacts, remove them before rinsing your eyes, and place them in the bags with the contaminated clothing.
• Do not put contacts back in your eyes. You should dispose of them even if you do not wear disposable contacts. If you wear eyeglasses, wash them with soap and water. You can put the eyeglasses back on after you wash them.

• Do not induce vomiting or drink fluids if sarin has been swallowed.
• Seek medical attention immediately. Dial 911 and explain what has happened.

How sarin is treated
Treatment consists of removing sarin from the body as soon as possible and providing supportive medical care in a hospital setting. Antidotes are available for sarin. They are most useful if given as soon as possible after exposure.