The Facts Behind Sarin

— -- Sarin is a colorless, odorless liquid nerve agent that possesses physical properties similar to those of water. While highly lethal, it evaporates relatively slowly. But once in the environment, it degrades fairly quickly.

What It Does

Sarin disrupts the chemical balance in nerve cells, causing those cells to seize in the "fire" position, which in turn causes muscles to contract and stay locked. Death usually results from suffocation, caused by the stoppage of the diaphram, the main muscle that controls a person's lungs.

Forms

Pure sarin is usually a colorless, odorless, and tasteless liquid. It is most effective as a weapon when dispersed as a fine mist with drops that are nearly invisible to the human eye.

How Lethal Is It?

One milligram of pure sarin is enough to kill a 150-pound person if absorbed into the skin or inhaled within about 15 minutes. Depending on the concentration of sarin and the length of time a person was exposed to the nerve agent, it might take anywhere from two minutes to 18 hours for death to occur.

Recovery from exposure to sarin is possible with prompt injections of atropine. Victims must receive treatment almost immediately following exposure. U.S. military personnel often carry "autoinjectors," a thigh-mounted packet containing the drugs and a spring-loaded needle to inject themselves with the antidote after exposure.

Symptoms of Exposure

Mild exposure to sarin produces blurred vision, drooling, excessive sweating; severe nasal congestion, tightness of the chest and breathing difficulty; nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, twitching of large muscle groups, headache, confusion and drowsiness, and generalized weakness.

Severe symptoms include: involuntary defecation and urination; twitching, jerking, staggering and convulsions; very copious secretions of bodily fluids; cessation of breathing and loss of consciousness.

Protective Measures

A simple gas mask will prevent inhalation of invisible sarin gas. Nonpermeable cloth will prevent exposing a person's skin to the liquid form of sarin or contact through accumulation of the airborne vapors.