Facts About Sarin

Facts About Sarin

Facts About Sarin

What sarin is

Sarin is a human-made chemical warfare agent classified as a nerve agent. Nerve agents are the most toxic and rapidly acting of the known chemical warfare agents. They are similar to certain kinds of pesticides called organophosphates in terms of how they work and what kind of harmful effects they cause; however, nerve agents are much more potent than organophosphate pesticides.

Sarin originally was developed in 1938 in Germany as a pesticide.

Sarin is a clear, colorless, and tasteless liquid that has no odor in its pure form. However, sarin can evaporate into a vapor (gas) and spread into the environment. Sarin is also known as GB.

Where sarin is found and how it is used

Sarin and other nerve agents may have been used in chemical warfare during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s.

Sarin was used in two terrorist attacks in Japan in 1994 and 1995.

Sarin is not found naturally in the environment.

How people can be exposed to sarin

If sarin is released into the air, people may be exposed through skin contact or eye contact. They may also be exposed by breathing air that contains sarin.

If sarin is released into water, people may be exposed by touching or drinking water that contains sarin.

If sarin comes in contact with food, people may be exposed by eating the

contaminated food.

A person’s clothing can release sarin for about 30 minutes after it has come in contact with sarin vapor. Other people can be exposed to sarin if they breathe this sarin gas. Because sarin breaks down slowly in the body, people who are repeatedly exposed to sarin may suffer more harmful health effects.