Question

choose one potential weapon from one of the chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) categories (i.e. you could select Tularemia, which could be a potential biological weapon). Write in your own words your assessment of your selected potential weapon's characteristics, accessibility, consequences of terrorists using that weapon based in researched facts. Please provide any support information required.

Answer 1

Sarin is a weapon of mass destruction & highly toxic nerve agent which can kill within minutes. It is a class of chemicals known as organophosphates. They are odourless and colourless which makes it more dangerous. Sarin is lethal even at very low concentration. Earlier it was used as pesticide and later it has become weapon in war and military combat.

It can be absorbed through anybody surface. They are readily absorbed through the respiratory tract or conjunctivae. It is highly volatile. Lethal concentration of sarin is 35 mg/m3 per minute for a two-minute exposure time. Sarin is many times lethal than other chemical weapon like Hydrogen cyanide, Phosgene etc. These properties make sarin a highly dangerous Weapon.

In 1980s, It is used in Iran-Iraq conflict. Even it has been used by Terrorist in japan in 1994. Tokyo subway sarin attack killed 12 people, severely injuring 50 and causing other injury for 1,000 others. It has been used by countries, terrorist time to time in war & attacks. Recently It has been used in Douma.

More importantly, Sarin preparation process is easily available on internet and books.

Sarin exposure may lead to long term effect in addition to death, injury.

Its effect includes paralysis, death due to anoxia from lung muscle paralysis, skin diseases.

Many countries like Iraq, Syria, US had stockpile of sarin for using it in war.