Sarin is a deadly poison used in chemical weapons . Sarin is a nerve agent, a class of chemicals that also includes VX . When vaporized by a weapon’s explosion , sarin is easily inhaled. Once inhaled, it causes the victim’s muscles and glands to become overstimulated. The victim suffers frothing around the mouth, convulsions , and paralysis . Moderate to severe sarin exposure is fatal if an antidote kit containing atropine is not quickly administered. As with other nerve agents, the use of sarin in warfare is banned under international law .
Gerhard Schrader, a German scientist, developed sarin in 1938. The Nazis weaponized sarin but did not actually use it during World War II (1939-1945). Since the 1950’s, however, many nations with chemical weapons capabilities have developed sarin. These countries include Iraq , the Soviet Union (now Russia), Syria , and the United States. Sarin is less lethal than VX. But unlike VX, sarin is nonpersistent—that is, it evaporates within a few hours. Thus, an attacker may tactically favor sarin over VX if they wish to enter and occupy an enemy position shortly after it is attacked with a nerve agent.
Some countries have used sarin in warfare. Iraq attacked Kurdish civilians and Iranian forces with sarin during the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988). During a civil war in Syria that began in 2011, the government of Bashar al-Assad was accused of attacking rebel forces with sarin. Terrorists have also used sarin. In 1995, a Japanese religious cult called Aum Shinrikyo released sarin in Tokyo’s subway system, killing 12 people.
See also Chemical Weapons Convention ; Chemical-biological-radiological warfare (CBR) .
