The Lethal and Highly Poisonous Nerve Gas Used In Syria: History and its Effect On Human Health
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| REUTERS/Ammar Abdullah |
On April 4, airstrikes pounded the small Syrian town of Khan
Sheikhoun, wounding hundreds and killing more than 80 people, including at
least 20 women and 30 children.
Shortly after the attack, photos, videos, and written reports of
the carnage began pouring onto the internet — and it quickly became clear to
experts that something other than conventional weapons was used in the bombing.
Victims described running from toxic
gases, with those who could not escape allegedly choking and foaming at the
mouth. Footage taken after the attack showed infants shaking
uncontrollably.
These and other pieces of evidence
suggested at the use of chemical weapons, and on Thursday, anonymous US
officials told the Associated Press that
early "assessments showed the use of chlorine gas and traces of the nerve
agent sarin in the attack".
Chlorine gas is a powerful irritant
that can wreak havoc on the human body, but isn't known for being extremely
lethal. A small amount of sarin gas, however, mirrors the effects of VX nerve agent —
the world's most deadly poison.
Blame for the internationally
condemned strikes has fallen on ruler
Bashar Assad and his regime in Syria, while Russian officials have "fancifully" blamed a
rebel chemical weapons stockpile for causing the massacre.
Here's what sarin gas is and what it
does to the body, according to information from the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, Reuters, and other sources.
Where the toxin
comes from and what it is
Sarin is a nerve agent that:
o
Was developed in Germany in 1938 as a pesticide.
o
Is a human-made substance that's similar to insecticides called
organophosphates, yet is far more powerful.
o
Is clear, colorless, tasteless, and odorless liquid in pure form,
and dissolves easily in water.
o
Rapidly evaporates into a dense gas that sinks to low-lying
areas, and is the most volatile of all nerve agents.
o
In a bomb, mixes as two chemicals to weaponize the nerve agent.
o
Can affect people through their skin, eyes, and lungs, and
through contaminated food and clothes.
o
Was used in attacks on Japan in 1994 and 1994.
o
Was used by Bashar Assad's regime during an attack in Syria in
2013.
What the symptoms
of exposure are:
Moderate exposure
o
Head: confusion,
drowsiness, and headache.
o
Eyes: watery eyes,
eye, pain, blurry vision, small/pinpoint pupils.
o
Mouth, nose, and lungs: cough, drooling,
runny nose, rapid breathing, chest tightness; victims have described breathing
sarin gas as "a knife made of fire"
tearing up their lungs.
o
Skin: excessive sweating,
muscle twitching at the site of contact.
o
Digestion: nausea, vomiting,
abdominal pain, increased urination, diarrhea.
o
Cardiovascular: abnormal blood
pressure and heart rate, weakness.
Lethal exposure
o Convulsions
o Loss of
consciousness
o Paralysis
o Breathing failure
How sarin nerve
agent is treated
While there's an antidote, to be effective it must be used
quickly — so the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends
leaving the area where gas may be present and seeking fresh air. They also
recommend getting to higher ground, since sarin gas sinks downward.
The CDC also says potential victims should:
o
Rapidly remove clothing, tearing it off if necessary.
o
To protect from further exposure, place the contaminated clothes
in a bag, then seal within another bag, as soon as possible.
o
Wash the entire body with excessive soap and water.
o
Flush the eyes for 10-15 minutes if vision is blurred.
o
If swallowed, don't induce vomiting or drink fluids.
o
Seek medical attention immediately.
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