Organophosphate nerve agents like soman, sarin and VX inhibit the production of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), this enzyme is used to break down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh). In the nervous system the neurotransmitter ACh binds to motor receptor neurons that control muscle contractions, when these motor neurons have ACh bound to them this causes the muscle to contract. When the body is ready for the muscle to relax it releases the enzyme AChE, which strips the ACh from the nerve receptors allowing the muscle to relax. However when a nerve agent like sarin is introduced it prevents the cells in the body from producing AChE, without this enzyme the levels of the neurotransmitter ACh continue to build up and stay bound to motor neuron receptors, this causes all of the muscles in the body to enter a prolonged state of contraction and become unable to relax, thus causing death by either asphyxiation (sarin, soman) because the muscles in the diaphragm are unable to function and pull air into the lungs, or death from cardiac arrest from a rapid acting agent (VX) preventing the muscle in the heart from relaxing. The main antidote to organophosphate exposure is a drug called atropine which clears the agents from the cells and stops it from interfering in enzyme production. Prompt administration of atropine is essential, even if exposed to a less than lethal dose as severe nerve and neurological damage can occur even from exposure to minute amounts.
Symptoms of nerve agent exposure are constricted pupils. sweating, muscle twitching at the site of exposure and confusion. This is soon followed by nausea, vomiting, muscle spasms in the extremities, drooling and difficulty breathing, and as loss of muscle control progresses there is a loss of bladder and bowel control. This is followed by severe twitching and jerking and as the fatal stage sets in the person starts to become comatose while their body continues to spasm until death. However unlike how it is often depicted in movies agents like sarin and VX do not cause skin to blister, burn and melt like mustard gas, they cause little to no skin damage.
Symptoms of nerve agent exposure are constricted pupils. sweating, muscle twitching at the site of exposure and confusion. This is soon followed by nausea, vomiting, muscle spasms in the extremities, drooling and difficulty breathing, and as loss of muscle control progresses there is a loss of bladder and bowel control. This is followed by severe twitching and jerking and as the fatal stage sets in the person starts to become comatose while their body continues to spasm until death. However unlike how it is often depicted in movies agents like sarin and VX do not cause skin to blister, burn and melt like mustard gas, they cause little to no skin damage.
Jimmy states that the nerve gas soman was developed by Germany during World War II as a pesticide, this is somewhat true but also somewhat inaccurate. In 1936 German chemist Gerhard Schrader was experimenting with ways to create a more effective pesticide from the organophosphate family of pesticides as the ones already in existence did not work well on larger pests like locusts. His work led to the creation of tabun, a potent synthetic organophosphate that would lead to the creation of even deadlier agents, when it was realized just how toxic tabun was further research and development of it as a pesticide was banned. However the military took over researching tabun as they realized its potential as a chemical weapon, this led to more refined and even deadlier agents like sarin. Sarin gas was developed in 1938, it was the first organophosphate developed specifically as a chemical weapon, and it is the most toxic agent in its family with a median lethal dose of about 30 mg·min/m3 when dispersed in the air. However sarin dissipates too quickly in the air, which led to the creation of soman in 1944, while being less potent in terms of lethal dose (70 mg·min/m3) soman is more volatile and vaporizes in the air more readily, and as it is denser than air it would concentrate in low lying areas and did not dissipate nearly as fast as sarin. In addition to killing people from the gas being inhaled soman also was readily absorbed through the skin, tabun and sarin are as well, but soman absorbed the fastest and it would cling to clothing for long periods of time allowing it to be spread to others via contact, it is these qualities that make soman the deadliest of the three nerve gases, tabun and sarin dissipate too quickly to remain on clothing.
Further research into these agents in the 1950's led to the creation of a new subclass of organophosphate nerve agents called thiophosphonates, which became known as the V-series agents. The deadliest of those was designated VX, while it is not nearly as volatile as earlier agents like sarin and soman, VX makes up for it by being fatal in extremely small amounts, and having a much faster onset of action. The average lethal dose when absorbed through the skin is only five milligrams and when dispersed in the air has a lethal concentration of 10-15 mg·min/m3, making it seven times more toxic than soman, three times more toxic than sarin and causing death in a matter of minutes compared to hours or even days with soman and sarin.
Further research into these agents in the 1950's led to the creation of a new subclass of organophosphate nerve agents called thiophosphonates, which became known as the V-series agents. The deadliest of those was designated VX, while it is not nearly as volatile as earlier agents like sarin and soman, VX makes up for it by being fatal in extremely small amounts, and having a much faster onset of action. The average lethal dose when absorbed through the skin is only five milligrams and when dispersed in the air has a lethal concentration of 10-15 mg·min/m3, making it seven times more toxic than soman, three times more toxic than sarin and causing death in a matter of minutes compared to hours or even days with soman and sarin.
While on a video call, Jimmy turns his head to look at someone who isn't in front of the camera. He acts as though he will see the person by turning toward their voice, but doing this does nothing as he still won't be able to see a person who is standing right next to the monitor instead of in front of it.