Nerve agents: One of the most deadly man-made weapons

As a former head of Nato’s elite chemical weapons response unit, Hamish de Bretton-Gordon has seen the devastating effect of nerve agents. Here, he explains how they work...

WHEN WERE THEY CREATED?

Nerve agents are man-made, having been discovered accidentally in the 1930s by German scientists developing insecticides.

HOW DO THEY WORK?

Particles in the chemicals destroy the nervous system by disrupting the signals sent from the brain to the organs. As a result the heart and lungs stop. Death – which can take minutes, hours, or even days – is typically caused either by asphyxiation or cardiac arrest.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER EFFECTS?

There are a raft of gruesome side-effects, including frothing at the mouth and convulsions. Be in no doubt, nerve agents cause a grotesque and painful death.

HOW ARE THE AGENTS MADE?

Nerve agents cannot be cooked up in a shed. An agent needs to be made in a well-funded laboratory by a highly-trained team of scientists.

HOW ARE THEY TRANSPORTED?

Given that only a very small quantity is needed, nerve agents can be easily smuggled into a country. They are transported in a container inside perhaps two more containers – a bit like a Russian doll.

HOW ARE THEY USED?

Nerve agents can be sprayed or applied to skin. I strongly suspect that in the case of Mr Skripal and his daughter the nerve agent was added to their food or drink.

CAN VICTIMS BE TREATED?

There are antidotes, such as atropine, which reverses the damage to the nerves. However, this needs to be used within minutes of an attack. That Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia have so far survived is a testament to the enormous skill and perseverance of those treating them in hospital.