Sarin

Background

Sarin, known as "GB" to the military, is a human-made chemical warfare nerve agent. It is one of the most toxic and fast acting nerve agents. Nerve agents stop certain enzymes from working. When this enzyme does not work correctly, muscles are constantly being used. As a result, people may become tired and no longer be able to keep breathing.

Sarin is a clear, colorless, tasteless liquid with no smell. Sarin can evaporate into a vapor (gas) and spread into the environment.

Signs and symptoms

Signs and symptoms depend on the amount of sarin, how the person was exposed, and for how long. Sarin has no smell, so people may not know they were exposed until signs and symptoms develop.

Exposure to a low or medium amount may cause some or all of these signs and symptoms within seconds to hours:

• Abnormally low or high blood pressure
• Blurry vision
• Chest tightness
• Confusion
• Cough
• Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and/or abdominal pain
• Drooling
• Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, and/or wheezing
• Drowsiness
• Eye pain and/or tearing
• Excessive sweating
• Headache
• Increased urination
• Muscle cramps
• Rapid breathing
• Runny nose
• Slow or fast heart rate
• Small, pinpoint pupils
• Tremors
• Weakness

Even a small drop of sarin on the skin can cause sweating and muscle twitching where it touched the skin.

Exposure to large doses of sarin by any type of exposure would likely cause the following harmful health effects:

• Loss of consciousness
• Cardiac arrest possibly leading to death
• Coma
• Convulsions
• Paralysis
• Respiratory failure possibly leading to death
• Seizures
• Twitching

Exposure

Air

If sarin is in the air, people can be exposed through skin or eye contact, or breathing in the sarin gas. Because sarin vapor is heavier than air, it will sink to low-lying areas and increase the risk of exposure there.

Food

Eating, drinking, or touching food or drink with sarin can expose people to sarin. Avoid using or eating food that smells, tastes, or looks unusual.

Do not eat food that may have touched sarin if the food is not in a glass or metal container. If the food is in an unbroken sealed glass or metal container, it should not be affected by sarin. Wash the outside of the container before using.

Water

If sarin is in water, people can be exposed by touching or drinking the water. Sarin mixes easily with water, which helps it spread.

People can also be exposed to liquid sarin by swallowing it, getting it on their skin, or in their eyes. People can also touch or breathe in sarin gas from clothes that has been exposed to sarin.

Follow any directions by local authorities.

What to do if you are exposed

Get away

Get away from the area where the sarin was released and breathe fresh air.

If the sarin release was outdoors, go indoors and shelter in place. Make sure windows are closed and ventilation systems are turned off to make sure the sarin does not come inside.

If you cannot go indoors, leave the area where the sarin was released. If you cannot get away from the area, go to the highest ground possible. Sarin is heavier than air and will sink to lower areas.

If the sarin release was indoors, get out of the building.

Get clean

Get clean by taking off all clothes, jewelry, and accessories, blotting any liquid, and showering. This is the best way to remove sarin from your body. If you cannot take off all layers, take off as many clothes as you can.

Take your clothes off

Do not pull clothing over your head. If you must pull clothing over your head, close your eyes and mouth, and hold your breath. This will stop the sarin from getting in your eyes, nose, or mouth. Put clothes in a plastic bag.

If you wear contact lenses, take them out and place them with your clothing. Do not put contact lenses back in.

Follow these steps to blot your body:

1. Use dry, clean cloths, or paper towels to blot each part of your body where you feel liquid.
2. Use a different cloth or towel for each body part.
3. Start blotting with your head and hair.
4. Then blot your face, hands, body, arms, legs, and feet.
5. Blot your skin for 10 seconds
6. Rub for 10 seconds any places on your skin or in your hair where you can see or feel liquid.
7. Drop the used cloths or towels to the floor.

Repeat the process several times if you still feel liquid on you. Use a different clean cloth or towel for each part of your body. Use a different clean cloth or towel each time you repeat the process.

Wash your body

Wash your hair, face, and hands, and then wash the rest of your body. Wash from your head to your feet with a lot of lukewarm water and mild soap (if available) for 90 seconds. Use soapy water for a minute, then rinse with plain water for 30 seconds. Try not to let the water run into your eyes, nose, or mouth. Do not scrub!

If your eyes are burning or you can't see normally, wash your eyes for 10–15 minutes with lukewarm water. Do not use eye drops.

Dry your face, then tilt your head back and dry your hair, and then dry down your body. Use anything that will soak up water. Drop used things to the floor. Dress in any available clean clothes to prevent hypothermia (low body temperature). This is especially important if temperatures are cool.

Clear the dirty items

If emergency response services are available, leave used items on the floor and report where they are to emergency teams. Move as far from the used items as possible.

Otherwise, put on waterproof or heavy gloves that won't let liquid go through. Gather all used things from the floor, including your clothes, and put them in a plastic bag. Remove gloves and put them in the plastic bag. Close the plastic bag and place it in a second plastic bag. Close up the second bag also.

Do not put the bags in the regular trash! Place the bags in an area where other people are unlikely to disturb them and touch sarin. Inform local authorities of the location of the bags for pick up.

Treatment

Treatment involves removing sarin from the body as soon as possible and providing supportive medical care. Care can be given in a hospital setting or by trained emergency personnel.

Antidotes (cures) for sarin are available in a healthcare setting. They are most useful if given as soon as possible after exposure.

Long-term health effects

Sarin breaks down slowly in the body. As a result, repeated exposures to sarin or other nerve agents can build up in the body.

People who were exposed to low amounts usually recover. People who were exposed to higher amounts may experience long-lasting symptoms, including:

• Muscle weakness
• Paralysis
• Pain
• Pins and needles sensations

People who received very high doses are less likely to survive.

More information

You can contact one of the following:

• Regional poison control center: 1-800-222-1222
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Public Response Hotline
  • Phone: 800-CDC-INFO
  • Teletypewriter (TTY): 888-232-6348
  • E-mail inquiries: cdcinfo@cdc.gov