A Mediterranean Battlefield - Syria

[Peter Lemkin]

C01-A002
Sarin (Agent GB)
CAS: 107-44-8; 6171-94-4 (Isomer)
RTECS: TA8400000
P O
F
O
C4H10FO2P
Colorless liquid that is odorless when pure.
Also reported stockpiled as a mixture with Cyclosarin (C01-A004).
Exposure Hazards
Conversion Factor: 1 ppm = 5.73 mg/m3 at 77â—¦F
LCt50(Inh): 35 mg-min/m3 (3 ppm for a 2-min exposure)
LCt50(Per): 12,000 mg-min/m3 (1 ppm for a 30-min exposure)
LD50: 1.7 g
Miosis: 0.03 ppm for a 2-min exposure
MEG(1 h)Min: 0.00048 ppm; Sig: 0.0060 ppm; Sev: 0.022 ppm
WPL AEL: 0.000005 ppm
STEL: 0.00002 ppm
IDLH: 0.02 ppm
Properties:
MW: 140.1 VP: 2.9 mmHg (77â—¦F) FlP: None
D: 1.102 g/mL VD: 4.8 (calculated) LEL: None
MP: −69◦F Vlt: 2800 ppm UEL: None
BP: 316â—¦F H2O: Miscible RP: 3
Vsc: 1.28 cS (77◦F) Sol: Most organic solvents IP: ∼10.6 eV
Final AEGLs
AEGL-1: 1 h, 0.0005 ppm 4 h, 0.0002 ppm 8 h, 0.0002 ppm
AEGL-2: 1 h, 0.006 ppm 4 h, 0.003 ppm 8 h, 0.002 ppm
AEGL-3: 1 h, 0.02 ppm 4 h, 0.01 ppm 8 h, 0.009 ppm

1.1.1 G-Series Nerve Agents
These agents are alkyl phosphonofluoridates, alkyl phosphoramidocyanidates, and alkyl
phosphonofluoridothiates. They are second generation chemical warfare agents. The
original agents in this seriestabun (C01-A001), sarin (C01-A002), and soman (C01-
A003)were developed by German scientists during the 1930s. Both tabun and sarin were
stockpiled by Nazi Germany during World War II but were never used. Since the end
of World War II, modern weapons researchers have evaluated numerous other variations
of the basic phosphonofluoridate and phosphoramidocyanidate structures. Although Gseries
agents have been stockpiled by most countries that have pursued a chemical weapons
program, they have been used only a limited number of times on the battlefield. They have
also been used by terrorists as a mass casualty agent.