Nerve agents agent toxicity

V-series nerve agents Extremely toxic decomposition products, including S-[2-dialkylaminoethyl] alkylphosphonothioic acids and alkyl pyrophosphonates, may be... 

GV-series nerve agents Agents produce HF when hydrolyzed. Additional products, depending on the pH, include amines and complex oiganophosphates that should be considered to be extremely toxic. 

GB Sarin, a nerve agent, more toxic than tabun or soman. 

Nerve agents Highly toxic and potentially lethal chemical agents that affect the human nervous system by inhibiting the enzyme that aids the transmission of nerve impulses. Causes blurred vision, weeping, nausea, vomiting, urinary incontinence, respiratory distress, and reduced mental capability by attacking the nervous system. 

Nerve agents are toxic anticholinesterase compounds by all routes of exposure, and exhibit a steep dose-response. Detailed descriptions of nerve agent toxicity may be found in reviews by Bakshi et al (2000), NRC (1999, 2003), Mioduszewski et al (1998), Marts (2007), Opresko et al (1998), Sidell (1997), Somani and Husain (2001), Munro et al. (1994), and others. 

Toxins, new-generation nerve agents, and toxic industrial chemicals have chemical properties different from those of traditional chemical agents. Fielded decontamination materials may not be effective against some of these threats. 

Following WWI, work in Germany progressed on the development of organophosphorus insecticides, leading to identification of a new a class of compounds of extreme toxicity, the nerve agents. This toxicity, and their rapid action, led... 

AU four nerve agents are toxic by absorption through the skin. VX is particularly dangerous in this way as it is a viscous liquid, splashes of which are not easily removed from the skin. Indeed, VX has been mixed with thickening agents to provide a mixtiire which effectively cannot be washed or wiped off. Also, Soman can... 

Signs and Symptoms of Toxicity. Nerve agents are toxic by all routes of exposure (DA 1974). Toxic effects, which can appear within seconds or minutes... 

Figure 9.41 displays a DMS vapor detector, battery powered, weighing only 2 lb. Use of DMS mode improves sensitivity and allows it to be tuned to detect specific compounds, improving selectivity and allowing it to detect trace levels with fewer false alarms. It can monitor most chemical warfare agents, particularly the five major nerve agents, and toxic industrial vapors such as HCN, CI2, H2S,... 

Although nerve agents exert toxic effects on the CNS and PNS indirectly through AChE inhibition (Koelle, 1975, 1981), nerve agents may also affect nerve impulse transmission by additional mechanisms at NMJs (see reviews by Somani and Husain, 2001 Marrs, 2007 Gupta and Milatovic, 2010) and at neurotransmitter receptor sites in the CNS (Myhrer and Aas, 2010 Weissman and Raveh, 2010). Rao et al. (1987) reported that VX caused an... 

Wang, Y, Oguntayo, S., Wei, Y.L., et al., 2012. Neuroprotective effects of imida-zenil against chemical warfare nerve agents soman toxicity in guinea pigs. NeuroToxicol. 33, 169-177. 

Properties. Some physical properties of nerve agents are given in Table 2. The G-agents, miscible in both polar and nonpolar solvents, hydrolyze slowly in water at neutral or slightly acid pH and more rapidly under strong acid or alkaline conditions. The hydrolysis products are considerably less toxic than the original agent. 

Other Lethal Agents. There are a number of substances, many found in nature, which are known to be more toxic than nerve agents (6). None has been weaponized. Examples of these toxic natural products include shellfish poison, isolated from toxic clams puffer fish poison, isolated from the viscera of the puffer fish the active principle of curare "heart poisons" of the digitaUs type the active principle of the sea cucumber active principles of snake venom and the protein ricin, obtained from castor beans (See Castor oil). 

DF and its precursor, methylphosphonic dichloride (DC), are organophos-phonic acids. They will react with alcohols to form crude lethal nerve agents, such as crude GB. High overexposure may cause inhibition of cholinesterase activity. Although much less toxic than GB, DF and DC are toxic and corrosive materials. 

DF and its precursor, DC are organophosphonic acids. They will react with alcohols to form crude lethal nerve agents, such as crude GB. High overexposure may cause inhibition of cholinesterase activity. Although much less toxic than GB, DF and DC are toxic and corrosive materials. Because DF and DC are relatively volatile compounds, the primary route of exposure is expected to be the respiratory system. However, ingestion also results from inhalation exposures in animals and could occur in humans. DF and DC vapors have a pungent odor and may cause severe and painful irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. Data provided is for DF only, DC has similar properties. 

V-agents - persistent, highly toxic nerve agents developed in the mid-1950s and absorbed primarily through the skin. 

The interplay between the chemical and biological properties of the threat agent, on the one hand, and the specific attack scenario, on the other, can influence the lethality of the attack. Table 2-2 shows the relative respiratory toxicities (expressed as the lethal concentration of toxin at which 50 percent of test animals are killed, or LCT50, in milligrams per minute per cubic meter) of a variety of toxic gases compared with chlorine gas, which was used as a chemical weapon in World War I. According to Table 2-2, the nerve agent sarin (GB) has a respiratory toxicity approximately 100 times that of chlorine, while sulfur mustard (HD) is about 7 times more toxic. However, the lethality of an attack... 

Human toxicity data for these nerve agents have not been published or have not been established. 

Human toxicity data for the Novichok series nerve agents have not been published or have not been established. However, available information indicates that under optimum conditions novichok agents are 5-10 times more toxic than nerve agent VX (C01-A016). 

The components, by-products of the reaction or solvents used to facilitate mixing the components may have their own toxic properties and could present additional hazards. They may also change the rate that the binary nerve agent volatilizes or penetrates the skin. Residual components may react with common materials, such as alcohols, to produce other nerve agents. For data on binary components, see the Component Section (C01-C) following information on the individual agents. 

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