This article forms part of the series Chemical warfare
(A subset of Weapons of mass destruction)
Lethal agents
Blood agents
Cyanogen chloride (CK)
Hydrogen cyanide (AC)
Blister agents
Lewisite (L)
Sulfur mustard gas (HD, H, HT, HL, HQ)
Nitrogen mustard gas (HN1, HN2, HN3)
Nerve agents
G-Agents
Tabun (GA), Sarin (GB) Soman (GD), Cyclosarin (GF)
V-Agents
VE, VG, VM, VX
Pulmonary agents
Chlorine
Chloropicrin (PS)
Phosgene (CG)
Diphosgene (DP)
Non-lethal agents
Incapacitating agents
Agent 15 (BZ)
KOLOKOL-1
Riot control agents
Pepper spray (OC)
CS gas
CN gas
CR gas

VX

The VX nerve agent is the most well-known of the V-series of nerve agents. Its chemical name is O-ethyl-S-[2(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothioate and its molecular formula is C₁₁H₂₆NO₂PS. Taken from Image:WMD.png by Wapcaplet File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Chemical warfare is warfare (and associated military operations) using the toxic properties of chemical substances to kill, injure or incapacitate an enemy. ... Weapons of mass destruction (WMD) generally include nuclear, biological, chemical and, increasingly, radiological weapons. ... A blood agent (also called a cyanogen agent) is a compound that prevents the normal transfer of oxygen from the blood to the body tissues, resulting in chemical asphyxiation. ... Cyanogen chloride, also known as CK, is a highly toxic blood agent first proposed for use in warfare by the French. ... Hydrogen cyanide is a chemical compound with chemical formula HCN. A solution of hydrogen cyanide in water is called hydrocyanic acid or prussic acid. ... Blister agents are named for their ability to cause large, painful water blisters on the bodies of those affected. ... Chemical structure of Lewisite Lewisite is a chemical compound from a chemical family called arsines. ... Airborne exposure limit 0. ... The nitrogen mustards are cytotoxic chemotherapy agents similar to mustard gas. ... Nerve agents (also known as nerve gases, though these chemicals are liquid at room temperature) are a class of phosphorus-containing organic chemicals (organophosphates) that disrupt the mechanism by which nerves transfer messages to organs. ... Tabun or GA (Ethyl N,N-dimethylphosphoramidocyanidate) is an extremely toxic substance that is one of the worlds most dangerous weapons of war. ... Sarin or GB (O-Isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate) is an extremely toxic substance. ... Boiling point 198 °C (388 °F) Freezing/melting point −42 °C (−44 °F) Vapor pressure 0. ... Cyclosarin or GF (Cyclohexyl methylphosphonofluoridate) is an extremely toxic substance that is one of the worlds most dangerous weapons of war. ... VE (S-(Diethylamino)ethyl O-ethyl ethylphosphonothioate) is a V-series nerve agent closely related to the better-known VX nerve gas. ... VG (also called Amiton or Tetram) is a V-series nerve agent closely related to the better-known VX nerve agent. ... VM (Phosphonothioic acid, methyl-, S-(2-(diethylamino)ethyl) O-ethyl ester) is a V-series nerve agent closely related to the better-known VX nerve agent. ... Categories: Chemical weapons | Stub ... General Name, Symbol, Number chlorine, Cl, 17 Chemical series halogens Group, Period, Block 17, 3, p Appearance yellowish green Atomic mass 35. ... Chloropicrin is a slightly oily, colorless liquid of the formula CCl3NO2. ... Phosgene (also known as carbonyl chloride, COCl2) is a highly toxic gas or refrigerated liquid that was used as a chemical weapon in World War I. It has no color, but is detectable in air by its odor, which resembles moldy hay. ... Diphosgene (ClCO2CCl3) Diphosgene (Trichloromethyl chloroformate, ClCO2CCl3) is a chemical originally developed for chemical warfare, a few months after the first use of phosgene. ... The term incapacitating agent is defined by the U.S. Department of Defense as An agent that produces temporary physiological or mental effects, or both, which will render individuals incapable of concerted effort in the performance of their assigned duties. ... QNB redirects here. ... KOLOKOL-1 is an opiate-derived incapacitating agent. ... A riot control agent is a type of lachrymatory agent (or lacrimatory agent). ... Pepper spray is a food product which is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense against dogs. ... CS or 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile (chemical formula: C10H5ClN2) is a substance that is used as a riot control agent and is usually claimed to be non-lethal by the forces who use it. ... Categories: Stub | Chemical weapons | Less-lethal weapons ... CR gas or dibenzoxazepine, chemically dibenz[b,f][1,4]oxazepine, is an incapacitating agent, a lachrymatory agent. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1873x1831, 25 KB) Summary Description: Skeletal formula of VX ((N-[2-(ethoxy-methyl-phosphoryl)sulfanylethyl]-N-propan-2-yl-propan-2-a mine; C11H26NO2PS). ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1873x1831, 25 KB) Summary Description: Skeletal formula of VX ((N-[2-(ethoxy-methyl-phosphoryl)sulfanylethyl]-N-propan-2-yl-propan-2-a mine; C11H26NO2PS). ... Nerve agents (also known as nerve gases, though these chemicals are liquid at room temperature) are a class of phosphorus-containing organic chemicals (organophosphates) that disrupt the mechanism by which nerves transfer messages to organs. ... A chemical formula (also called molecular formula) is a concise way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound. ...

The only countries known to possess VX are the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, France and Syria. VX agent is considered an area denial weapon due to its physical properties. Area denial weapons are used to prevent an adversary from occupying or traversing an area of land. ...

With its high viscosity and low volatility VX has the texture and feel of high-grade motor oil. This makes it especially dangerous, as it has a high persistence in the environment. It is odorless and tasteless, and can be distributed as a liquid or, through evaporation, into small amounts of vapor. It works as a nerve agent by blocking the function of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. Normally, an electric nerve pulse would cause the release of acetylcholine over a synapse that would touch the post-synaptic neuron. This continues the transmission of a nerve signal over the synapse. The excess acetylcholine is then hydrolyzed to non-reactive substances (acetic acid and choline). VX blocks the diffusing properties of acetylcholinesterase, thus causing nerves to fire continuously resulting in contractions of all the muscles in the body. The pitch drop experiment at the University of Queensland. ... Volatility is the standard deviation of the change in value of a financial instrument with a specific time horizon. ... Ribbon diagram of the catalytically perfect enzyme TIM. An enzyme is a protein that catalyzes, or speeds up, a chemical reaction. ... In biochemistry, cholinesterase is a term which refers to one of the two enzymes (EC 3. ... The chemical compound acetylcholine, often abbreviated as ACh, was the first neurotransmitter to be identified. ... Illustration of the major elements in a prototypical synapse. ... Drawing by Santiago Ramón y Cajal of cells in the pigeon cerebellum. ... Hydrolysis is a chemical process in which a molecule is cleaved into two parts by the addition of a molecule of water. ... Flash point 43 Â°C R-phrases , S-phrases , , , U.S. Permissible exposure limit (PEL) 10 ppm Supplementary data page Structure & properties n, εr, etc. ... // Choline is a nutrient, essential for cardiovascular and brain function, and for cellular membrane composition and repair. ...

Often regarded as the deadliest nerve agent created to date, as little as 200 micrograms is enough to kill an average person, depending on method of absorption. Death can be avoided if the appropriate antidote is injected immediately after exposure. The most commonly used antidote is atropine which is issued for military personnel in the form of an autoinjector. Standard chemical agent resistance pills are also effective. Atropine works by binding and blocking a subset of acetylcholine receptors (known as muscarinic acetylcholine receptor, mAchR), so that the build up of acetylcholine produced by loss of the acetylcholinesterase function can no longer affect their target. This prevents involuntary muscle actions so that muscles like the diaphragm and heart are not in constant contraction. Structure of atropine (hyoscyamine) Atropine is a tropane alkaloid extracted from the deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) and other plants of the family Solanaceae. ... An autoinjector is a medical device designed to deliver a single dose of a particular (typically life-saving) drug. ... Muscarinic receptors are those membrane-bound acetylcholine receptors that are more sensitive to muscarine than to nicotine. ... Under surface of the human diaphragm. ... The heart and lungs (from an older edition of Grays Anatomy) The heart (Latin cor) is a hollow, muscular organ in vertebrates that pumps blood through the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions, or a similar structure in annelids, mollusks, and arthropods. ...

Physical Characteristics

Boiling point: 298°C (568.4°F)

Freezing point: -50°C (-58°F)

Specific Gravity: 1.0113

Density: 1.0083 g/ml

History

A chemist by the name of Ranajit Ghosh discovered the V-series nerve agents at the Government research establishment at Porton Down, England in 1952; VX was passed over in favour of continuing with sarin as their chemical weapon of choice. The United Kingdom unilaterally renounced chemical and biological weapons in 1956. In 1958 the British government traded their research on VX technology with the United States of America in exchange for information on thermonuclear weapons. The US then went into production of large amounts of VX in 1961. Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, or often known more simply as Porton Down, is a highly secretive United Kingdom government facility for military bio-chemical research. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the British Isles Languages English (de facto) Capital London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid-2004) – Total (2001 Census) – Density Ranked 1st... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Sarin or GB (O-Isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate) is an extremely toxic substance. ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, in 1945 lifted nuclear fallout some 18 km (60,000 feet) above the epicenter. ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The US later destroyed stockpiles of the deadly nerve agent (by incineration at Johnston Island in the South Pacific), as mandated by the US accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention. Post-treaty disposal included the US Army's CHASE (Cut Holes And Sink 'Em) program, in which old ships were filled with chemical weapons stockpiles and then scuttled. CHASE 8 was conducted on June 15, 1967, in which the S.S. Cpl. Eric G. Gibson was filled with 7,380 VX rockets and scuttled in 7,200 feet of water, off the coast of Atlantic City, New Jersey. The long-term environmental ramifications of exposing large quantities of VX to seawater and marine life could pose a grave danger, but are ultimately unknown. The US is also destroying chemical weapons stockpiles containing VX in nine other locations, one of which is in Russia. On June 12, 2005, it was reported that more than 250,000 US gallons (950 m³) of the chemical weapon are stored at the Newport Chemical Depot in Newport, Indiana, about 30 miles (50 km) north of Terre Haute, Indiana. The VX is in the process of being diluted into VX hydrolysate. Once diluted, the current plan is to truck the hydrolysate from Indiana to the DuPont Chambersworks Secure Environmental Facility at Deepwater, NJ where it will be further diluted and dumped into the Delaware River. The US Army is awaiting final approval of the plan from the Centers for Disease Control and the Department of Environmental Protection. The governors of Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York have opposed this plan and New Jersey Acting Governor Codey instructed the New Jersey Department of Transportation to deny entry to any trucks carrying the hydrolysate to the Deepwater facility. Prior to the current plan, it had been proposed that the hydrolysate be dumped into the Great Miami River, a tributary of the Ohio River, near Dayton, Ohio but the community there successfully defeated the proposal. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Johnston Atoll is a 2. ... Chemical Weapons Convention Opened for signature January 13, 1993 at Paris Entered into force April 29, 1997 Conditions for entry into force Ratification by 50 states and the convening of a Preperatory Commission Parties 170 The Chemical Weapons Convention is an arms control agreement which outlaws the production, stockpiling and... Motto: Nickname: Map Map of Atlantic City in Atlantic County Political Statistics Founded Sister Cities {{{sister cities}}} Incorporated March 1854 County Atlantic County Borough {{{borough}}} Parrish {{{parrish}}} Mayor Bob Levy Geographic Statistics Area  - Total  - Water 44. ... June 12 is the 163rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (164th in leap years), with 202 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Newport Chemical Depot is a bulk chemical storage and destruction facility in west central Indiana, thirty miles north of Terre Haute. ... Newport is a town located in Vermillion County, Indiana. ... Official language(s) English Capital Indianapolis Largest city Indianapolis Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 38th 94,321 km² 225 km 435 km 1. ... Nickname: Motto: Official website: City of Terre Haute Location Location in the state of Indiana Government County Vigo Mayor Kevin Burke Geographical characteristics Area Total 83. ... Official language(s) English Capital Indianapolis Largest city Indianapolis Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 38th 94,321 km² 225 km 435 km 1. ... Richard Codey, Governor of New Jersey Richard James Codey (born November 27, 1946 in Orange, New Jersey) is an American politician. ...

VX dilution began on May 5 2005 and as of June 12 the facility had destroyed 2,894 US gallons (11 m³) of VX. A contained spill of 30 US gallons (100 L) drew attention to the disposal process, but authorities said no agent was released and no one was injured in the spill. May 5 is the 125th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (126th in leap years). ... June 12 is the 163rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (164th in leap years), with 202 days remaining. ...

Nerve Agent VX can also be delivered in binary chemical weapons which mix in-flight to form the agent prior to release. Binary VX is referred to as VX2, and is created by mixing O-(2-diisopropylaminoethyl) O'-ethyl methylphosphonite (Agent QL) with sulfure (Agent NE) as is done in the BIGEye aerial chemical bomb. It may also be produced by mixing with other sulfur compounds, as with the liquid dimethyl polysulfide mixture (Agent NM) in the cancelled XM-768 8-inch binary projectile program.

External links

Wikinews has news related to:

United States begins testing equipment for demolition of a major VX nerve gas stockpile

• Oxford website on Nerve Gas
• Questions and Answers for VX
• CDC Facts About VX
• U.S. Army's Chemical Materials Agency (CMA)
• Newport Chemical Agent Destruction Facility spill