VX Nerve Gas

This page is a basic fact sheet about VX Nerve Gas (Ethyl S-[2-diisopropylaminoethyl]-methylphosphonothioate).

A Random Quote:
When it came time for me to give my talk on the subject, I started off by drawing an outline of the cat and began to name the various muscles. The other students in the class interrupt me: "We know all that!" "Oh," I say, "you do? Then no wonder I can catch up with you so fast after you've had four years of biology." They had wasted all their time memorizing stuff like that, when it could be looked up in fifteen minutes.
Richard Feynman, in Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!

Characteristics
Toxicology
Symptoms
Cautions
First-aid and therapy
Neutralization and decontamination

Characteristics		Basic characteristics: boiling point: 300C volatility at 20C: 10 mg/m3 odour: like rotten fish solubility in water is between 1% and 5% at room temperature more resistant than Sarin due to hydrolysis, especially in alkaline solution inhibits acetylcholinesterase, thus disrupting nerve impulse transmission persistent; will remain on ground for several weeks (longer in cold climate)

Toxicology		Properties include: casualty dosage (unmasked): 5 mg-min/m3 (milligrams per minute per cubic meter) lethal dosage: 10 mg-min/m3 slightly slower onset of symptoms than Sarin primarily toxic by the dermal route

Symptoms

Symptoms include:

at low concentration
- miosis (narrowing of pupil of the eye)
- headache
- increased salivation
- increased nasal secretion
- bronchoconstriction
at high concentration
- cough
- increased perspiration
- gastro-intestinal effects (nausea, vomiting, colic, diarrhea)
- effects on skeletal musculature
- death by suffocation due to effects on respiratory musculature and respiratory centre in central nervous system

It takes at least 2 weeks to recover from a sublethal dose.

Cautions		Important precautions include: long term contact hazard by contamination of ground, vegetation and equipment is possible its hydrolysis products are nearly as toxic as VX at pH 7 (normal acidity/alkalinity) protection required: gas mask and protective clothing clothing should be decontaminated and skin washed thoroughly if VX exposure is suspected

First-aid and therapy		Techniques include: artificial respiration and oxygen atropine-oxime therapy (especially 2 mg atropine + 150 mg obidoxime chloride in an autoinjector) supplemental administration of muscular relaxants may be helpful prophylactic treatment with pralidoxime (2-PAM) is recommended if exposure is anticipated (e.g. in decontamination procedures)

Neutralization and decontamination		Clothing, boots, gloves, etc., in the field can be decontaminated with aqueous hypochlorite solution (household bleach). For bulk decontamination a solution of 10% sodium hydroxide in methanol can be used, but be careful because sodium hydroxide is corrosive.