Who invented nerve agent VX?
Ranaji Ghosh
The chemical was invented in Britain during the 1950’s by a chemist called Ranaji Ghosh who was working for Imperial Chemical Industries. Inspired by a commercial pesticide, it was further tested by the British military, before being passed to US counterparts, who began full-scale production of VX in 1961.
Has VX ever been used?
The only known use of VX is as a chemical warfare agent. By participating in the United Nations International Chemical Weapons Convention treaty, the United States agreed to destroy its stockpile of aging chemical weapons.
How was VX made?
VX can be made by mixing O-(2-diisopropylaminoethyl) O′-ethyl methylphosphonite (Agent QL) with elemental sulfur (Agent NE) or a liquid dimethyl polysulfide mixture (Agent NM). The Malaysian authorities made several arrests, while other suspects have fled.
What does VX stand for?
| Acronym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Vx | Velocity X (best angle of climb; aviation) |
| Vx | Experimental Squadron (US Navy Aviation unit designation used from 1927 to circa 1943) |
| Vx | Velocity along the X Axis |
| Vx | O-Ethyl S-Diisopropylaminomethyl Methylphosphonothiolate (chemical nerve agent) |
Who discovered VX gas?
VX, short for “venomous agent X”, is one of the best known of the V nerve agents and was first discovered at Porton Down in England during the early 1950s based on research first done by Gerhard Schrader, a chemist working for IG Farben in Germany during the 1930s.
How toxic is VX?
VX is the most toxic nerve agent known. Just 0.4 milligrams of the substance can kill an adult weighing 100 kilograms (220 pounds) when taken orally and 8.6 milligrams can kill an adult when the substance comes into contact with the skin.
Why was VX invented?
In the class of nerve agents, it was developed for military use in chemical warfare after translation of earlier discoveries of organophosphate toxicity in pesticide research. In recent years, VX was found to be the agent used in the assassination of Kim Jong-nam.
What nerve agent killed Kim Jong?
| Assassination of Kim Jong-nam | |
|---|---|
| Date | 13 February 2017 |
| Target | Kim Jong-nam |
| Weapons | VX nerve agent |
| Convictions | One convicted of “voluntarily causing injuries by dangerous weapons or means” |
Is there an antidote for VX?
Are there any antidotes? Injections of atropine, if administered quickly after exposure, can counteract the lethal effects of VX. The drug counteracts VX’s effects on a neurotransmitter, while another drug, pralidoxime, counteracts enzyme-related effects, allowing cells to resume functioning normally.
What war was VX used in?
VX nerve agent was first used during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. It’s part of the same family of toxic substances as Sarin, which was used in the 1995 nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway.
Can VX be aerosolized?
VX can become an aerosol (very small droplets) through explosion, or a vapor through heating. It is heavier than water and evaporates at about the same rate as light weight motor oil. VX is highly toxic in its liquid, aerosol and vapor forms. It is most hazardous when absorbed through the skin.
How long does VX gas last?
The VX persistency is high [6] because of its low vapor pressure (8.8×10-4 mm Hg at 25 °C) and its oily liquid form. VX evaporates slowly and is expected to last days to weeks on surfaces.
What effects does the nerve agent VX have on humans?
Even a tiny drop of nerve agent on the skin can cause sweating and muscle twitching where the agent touched the skin. Exposure to a large dose of VX by any route may result in these additional health effects:
Is VX nerve a persistent or non-persistent agent?
VX is the least volatile of the nerve agents, which means that it is the slowest to evaporate from a liquid into a vapor. Therefore, VX is persistent in the environment. Under average weather conditions, VX can last for days on objects that it has come in contact with.
What is biological problems does the nerve agent VX cause?
VX binds to a chemical known as acetylcholinesterase and, in doing so, disrupt the electrochemical reactions required for the body to operate properly. The binding of acetylcholinesterase leads to a build-up of acetylcholine, which then in turn leads to a syndrome called a ” cholinergic crisis “.
How deadly is VX gas?
VX is a lethal nerve agent and one of the deadliest chemicals ever created by man. It is classified as a weapon on mass destruction by the UN and can come in liquid, gas or cream form. A victim can be subjected to as little as 10mg and be dead within 15 minutes.