Facts on The Deadly VX Nerve Gas

— -- One of the most toxic substances that exist, the deadly nerve gas VX disrupts the functioning of nerves that control breathing.

What It Does

Victims of this lethal gas die of suffocation when the diaphragm fails to expand and contract. It is a persistent agent, intended to cling to plants and other surfaces for days or weeks, presenting a threat long after it is released.

How Lethal It Is

VX can kill simply by touching the skin. Mere droplets of this substance can kill — just one milligram can kill a person. It is approximately 10 times more toxic than the nerve agent sarin, used in the 1995 Tokyo subway attacks.

Forms

Uptake of this substance is mainly through the skin but also through inhalation as a gas or aerosol. It can remain for long periods of time on material, equipment and terrain.

Symptoms of Exposure

Symptoms of exposure to VX include increased salivation, coughing, runny nose, headache and nausea.

What It Looks Like

It is brownish in liquid form and its vapors are odorless. As an aerosol it is virtually invisible.

How You Can Protect Yourself

Contact can be prevented by wearing a gas mask and having the skin covered by thick or nonpermeable clothing.

How It Can Be Used

It can be delivered via artillery shells, bombs and land mines, and from aircraft fitted with spray equipment.

History

The United States began producing VX, or O-ethyl S-diisopropylaminomethyl methylphosphonothiolate, in April 1961, but its composition was not widely known for another decade. Iraq has publicly stated that it made and used VX during its war with Iran.