Medical Aspects of Chemical Warfare (2008) - The Black Vault

Nerve AgentsTABLE 5-3CHEMICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROPERTIES OF NERVE AGENTSProperties Tabun (GA) Sarin (GB) Soman (GD) VXChemical and PhysicalBoiling point 230°C 158°C 198°C 298°CVapor pressure 0.037mm Hg at 20°C 2.1 mm Hg at 20°C 0.40 mm Hg at 20°C 0.0007 mm Hg at 20°CDensityVapor (compared to 5.6 4.86 6.3 9.2air, air = 1)Liquid 1.08 g/mL at 25°C 1.10 g/mL at 20°C 1.02 g/mL at 25°C 1.008 g/mL at 20°CVolatility 610 mg/m 3 at 25°C 22,000 mg/m 3 at 25°C 3,900 mg/m 3 at 25°C 10.5 mg/m 3 at 25°CAppearanceColorless to brownliquidColorless liquid Colorless liquid Colorless to strawcoloredliquidOdor Fruity Odorless Fruity; oil of camphor OdorlessSolubilityIn water 9.8 g/100 g at 25°C Miscible 2.1 g/100 g at 20°C Miscible < 9.4°CIn other solvents Soluble in most organicsolventsSoluble in all solvents Soluble in some solventsSoluble in all solventsEnvironmental and Biological DetectabilityVaporM8A1, M256A1,CAM, ICADM8A1, M256A1,CAM, ICADM8A1, M256A1, CAM,ICADM8A1, M256A1,CAM, ICADLiquid M8, M9 papers M8, M9 papers M8, M9 papers M8, M9 papersPersistencyIn soil Half-life 1–1.5 days 2–24 hours at 5°C–25- Relatively persistent 2–6 days°COn materiel Unknown Unknown Unknown PersistentDecontamination ofskinM258A1, diluted hypochlorite,soap andwater, M291 kitM258A1, diluted hypochlorite,soap andwater, M291 kitM258A1, diluted hypochlorite,soap andwater, M291 kitM258A1, diluted hypochlorite,soap andwater, M291 kitCAM: chemical agent monitorICAD: individual chemical agent detectorLCt 50: vapor or aerosol exposure necessary to cause death in 50% of the population exposedLD 50: dose necessary to cause death in 50% of the population with skin exposureM8A1: chemical alarm systemM256A1: detection cardM258A1: self-decontamination kitM291: decontamination kitM8 and M9: chemical detection papersprimarily because they are more toxic (ie, a smalleramount is needed to cause an effect on an organism).For example, an in vitro study 45 with ChE from humanerythrocytes, brain, and muscle showed that sarin hadabout 10 times more inhibitory activity than TEPP, 30times more than neostigmine, 100 times more thanDFP, and 1,000 times more than parathion.The nerve agents are liquid at moderate temperatures(the term “nerve gas” is a misnomer). In theirpure state, they are clear, colorless, and, at least indilute solutions of distilled water, tasteless. Tabunhas been reported to have a faint, slightly fruityodor, and soman, to have an ill-defined odor; sarin,cyclosarin, VR, and VX are apparently odorless.167