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Sarin

Last month an artillery shell containing sarin exploded in Iraq, exposing several U.S. troops to this deadly chemical. The bomb is believed to have been left over from the Iran-Iraq war, but since it was unmarked, it is not known whether the attackers knew the bomb contained sarin. This incident brings into focus a potent chemical weapon that has been, and continues to be, pursued for nefarious reasons.

Sarin, also known as GB, is a nerve agent that can exist in liquid or gaseous forms. It is extremely toxic; one drop can kill a person in minutes. Sarin evaporates easily, which causes it to be quite volatile, but also only allows it to be a short-term threat. Sarin is colorless, tasteless and can be odorless in its pure form. This agent is difficult to make and requires a sophisticated laboratory for development. Its delivery systems include ballistic and cruise missiles, crude canisters, combat aircraft-delivered bombs, artillery shells and land mines.

Exposure to sarin can occur through inhalation, ingestion, or through direct contact with the skin or eyes. Depending on the amount of exposure, sarin can interfere with the body’s ability to “turn off� the glands and muscles, thus forcing them to remain constantly active. Eventually, the body tires and goes into respiratory failure. Low or moderate exposure to sarin can produce a variety of symptoms, which include eye pain, drooling, excessive sweating, rapid breathing, coughing, chest tightness, headache, nausea or vomiting. People exposed to low or moderate amounts of sarin usually recover and have few lasting side effects. High levels of exposure can produce a loss of consciousness as well as convulsions, paralysis and respiratory failure, leading to death.

People who believe they may have been exposed to sarin should get medical care immediately. Treatments focus on removing the chemical from the body. If exposed to sarin, a person should leave the contaminated area, remove their clothing, and wash their bodies with soap and water. Antidotes, such as atropine and drugs from the oxime family, are available for sarin exposure but must be administered immediately.

Sarin was developed in 1938 for the purpose of producing a more effective pesticide. During World War II, the Nazis discovered sarin’s potential for use as a chemical weapon but never utilized it. Since then, sarin has been used as a chemical weapon in several instances. In 1987 and 1988, for example, Iraq used sarin and other chemical agents in approximately 280 different attacks against their Kurdish populations living in the northern regions of Iraq. In the 1990s the Japanese terrorist group Aum Shinrikyo also used sarin in their attacks against the populace, killing seven people in Matsumoto, Japan, in 1994. In 1995, this group launched a subway attack in Tokyo, which killed 12 people and exposed more than 5,000 others to sarin gas.

Although sarin has not been used as a chemical weapon since 1995, the threat emanating from new stocks or from forgotten canisters remains. As a Schedule 1 chemical under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), sarin is closely monitored by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Given the potential dangers associated with this toxic chemical, a high level of awareness must be maintained in order to successfully counter this deadly threat.