1-4 of 4 results for subject:Sarin
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Year
X
2000
Type
House
Session
Month
Department
Member
Primary member
Answering member
Legislative stage
Legislation
Subject
Publisher
Deposited by
Ministry of Defence
Type
Deposited papers
Author
Ministry of Defence
Committed on
21 December 2000
Originated on
14 November 2000
Received on
21 December 2000
Subjects
Chemical and biological warfare; Chemical weapons; Health hazards; Research; Voluntary work; Organophosphates; Chemical Defence Establishment; Sarin
Commons Library location
Dep 00/1865
Lords Library location
HINF 2001/292
Date
21 December 2000
Reference
Dep 00/1865
House
House of Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 27th June, Official Report, 352 c434, on Porton Down, if it is the assessment of the Chemical Defence Establishment that the nerve agent GF is more toxic to humans than sarin (GB). - Text of letter from...
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 27th June, Official Report, 352 c434, on Porton Down, if it is the assessment of the Chemical Defence Establishment that the nerve agent GF is more toxic to humans than sarin (GB). - Text of letter from...
Asked by
Lord Taylor of Goss Moor
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Lord Moonie
(Labour)
Answering body
Ministry of Defence
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Tabled on
11 July 2000
For answer on
25 July 2000
Answered on
25 July 2000
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 27 June 2000, Official Report, column 434W,
on Porton Down, if it is the assessment of the Chemical Defence Establishment that the nerve agent GF is more toxic to humans than
sarin (GB). [130528]
Dr. Moonie: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive
to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Sir John Chisholm to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 25 July 2000:
I am replying to your parliamentary question about the relative toxicity of nerve agents since the laboratories at Porton Down are
part of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency.
The relative potency of the nerve agents GB and GF depends on the route of entry of nerve agent into the body, the conditions in
which the exposure occurs and the toxicological end point chosen. It is not our policy, or that of the Ministry of Defence, to
publish our assessment of the human toxicology of potential chemical warfare agents because to do so could aid proliferation. I am,
therefore, withholding this information under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
I am sorry that I cannot be more helpful on this occasion.
Subjects
Chemical and biological warfare; Chemical weapons; Health hazards; Poisons; Research; Chemical Defence Establishment; Sarin
Date
25 July 2000
Reference
354 c547-8W; 130528
House
House of Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down has made of the toxicity to humans of (a) the nerve agent GF and (b) sarin GB. - Inc text of letter from John Chisholm of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down has made of the toxicity to humans of (a) the nerve agent GF and (b) sarin GB. - Inc text of letter from John Chisholm of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency.
Asked by
Lord Taylor of Goss Moor
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Lord Moonie
(Labour)
Answering body
Ministry of Defence
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Tabled on
16 June 2000
For answer on
27 June 2000
Answered on
27 June 2000
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down has
made of the toxicity to humans of (a) the nerve agent GF and (b) sarin GB. [127132]
Dr. Moonie: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive
to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 27 June 2000:
I am replying to your parliamentary question about nerve agents and their toxicity to humans since the laboratories at Porton Down
are part of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA).
GB (sarin) and GF (cyclosarin) are organophosphorus nerve agents developed during World War II in Germany. Both agents are highly
toxic chemicals. GB is a highly volatile liquid and is a particular hazard following inhalation, GF is some 30-35 times less
volatile and presents a particular hazard from absorption through skin. In hot climates, however, GF may also present a significant
hazard from inhalation.
Both GB and GF are potent inhibitors of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, which is responsible for the control of the important
chemical messenger acetylcholine within the nervous system. When humans are poisoned, the signs and symptoms of acute poisoning
progress from a general feeling of malaise, pinpoint pupils (miosis), excessive sweating, salivation, runny nose and breathing
difficulties, through nausea, vomiting and muscle tremor, to loss of consciousness, convulsions and death from respiratory failure.
The severity of these signs and their rate of progress depends upon the dose and route of exposure to the nerve agents. In general,
those agents absorbed through the skin, such as GF, will exhibit a delayed onset of poisoning and those which are inhaled, such as
GB, will exhibit a very rapid onset (within 1-2 min) of signs and symptoms of poisoning.
A knowledge of the toxicity of these nerve agents has been built up over the years since the Second World War. Assessments have been
prompted by intelligence reports of the chemical arsenals of potential aggressors, for example Iraq. They have been based upon
studies in animals and to a limited extent in humans conducted within the UK and the Allied Nations. A number of these studies were
carried out at Porton Down between 1948 and 1989. The last trial looked at the effects on the eye of low levels of GB. The trial was
conducted to assess the effects from "the maximum dosage of nerve agent vapour to the eyes acceptable for aircrew" under NATO
prescribed conditions. Scientists at Porton Down have also undertaken three paper exercises to examine the possible long-term
effects of nerve agent exposure using the service medical records of volunteers previously exposed to GB. None of the three studies
showed any significant difference between the patterns of days lost through illness, the number of specialist appointments or the
number of hospital admissions between the control and exposed groups.
Medical countermeasures to both GB and GF have been developed at CBD Porton Down and the combination of pre-treatment with Nerve
Agent Pre-Treatment Set (NAPS) tablets and use of the ComboPen injector, which contains atropine, an oxime (P2S) and an
anticonvulsant (Avizafone), provide effective antidotes against poisoning by these agents.
I hope the above is helpful.
Subjects
Chemical and biological warfare; Chemical weapons; Health hazards; Poisons; Research; Defence Evaluation and Research Agency; Porton Down (Wiltshire); Sarin
Date
27 June 2000
Reference
127132; 352 c434W
House
House of Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what study he is making of the long-term effects of sarin. - (Holding answer 7 February 2000).
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what study he is making of the long-term effects of sarin. - (Holding answer 7 February 2000).
Asked by
Tam Dalyell
(Labour)
Answered by
Lord Spellar
(Labour)
Answering body
Ministry of Defence
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Tabled on
1 February 2000
For answer on
9 February 2000
Answered on
9 February 2000
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what study he is making of the long-term effects of Sarin. [108464]
Mr. Spellar: [holding answer 7 February 2000]: The Department is at present undertaking no specific study into any possible
long-term effects of exposure to the nerve agent Sarin. There is, however, both on-going and completed MOD funded research which
will inform, in general terms, our understanding of the effects of nerve agents. The results from two earlier studies on the effects
of low levels of exposure to Sarin have been published: the first appeared in the "Journal of Human and Experimental Toxicology" in
1996 (Vol 15, pages 369-375); and the second in the "Journal of Psychopharmacology" in 1999 (Vol 13, pages 128-135).
Subjects
Chemical weapons; Health hazards; Research; Sarin
Date
9 February 2000
Reference
344 c163W; 108464
House
House of Commons