Facts About Soman

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What soman
is

• Soman is a human-made
  chemical warfare agent classified as a nerve agent. Nerve agents are
  the most toxic and rapidly acting of the known chemical warfare agents.
  They are similar to insecticides called organophosphate insecticides
  in terms of how they work and what kinds of harmful effects they cause.
  However, nerve agents are much more potent than insecticides.
• Soman was originally
  developed as an insecticide in Germany in 1944.
• Soman is also known
  as “GD.”
• Soman is a clear,
  colorless, tasteless liquid with a slight camphor odor (for example,
  Vicks Vapo-Rub®) or rotting fruit odor.
   

Where soman
is found and how it is used

• Soman is not found
  naturally in the environment.
• It is possible
  that soman or other nerve agents were used in chemical warfare during
  the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s.

How people can be exposed to soman

• Following release
  of soman into the air, people can be exposed through skin contact, eye
  contact, or inhalation (breathing in the soman mist).
• Following release
  of soman into water, people can be exposed by drinking contaminated
  water or getting contaminated water on their skin.
• Following contamination
  of food with soman, people can be exposed by eating the contaminated
  food.
• A person’s clothing
  can release soman for about 30 minutes after contact with soman vapor,
  which can lead to exposure of other people.
• Soman breaks down
  slowly in the body, meaning that repeated exposures to soman and/or
  other nerve agents can have a cumulative effect (build up in the body).
   

How soman
works

• The extent of poisoning
  caused by soman depends on the amount of soman a person was exposed
  to, how the person was exposed, and the length of time of the exposure.
• Symptoms will appear
  within a few seconds after exposure to the vapor form of soman, and
  within a few minutes to up to 18 hours after exposure to the liquid
  form.
• All the nerve agents
  cause their toxic effects by preventing the proper operation of the
  chemical that acts as the body’s “off switch” for glands and muscles.
  Without an “off switch,” the glands and muscles are constantly being
  stimulated. They may tire and no longer be able to sustain breathing
  function.
• Soman vapor is
  heavier than air, so it would be more likely to settle in low-lying
  areas.
• Soman mixes easily
  with water, so it could be used to poison water.
• Compared with other
  nerve agents, soman is more volatile than VX but less volatile than
  sarin. The higher a chemical’s volatility, the more likely it will evaporate
  from a liquid into a vapor and disperse into the environment. People
  can be exposed to the vapor even if they do not come in contact with
  the liquid form.
• Because of its
  high volatility, soman is an immediate but short-lived threat and does
  not last a long time in the environment.
• Because soman is
  more volatile than the nerve agent VX (the most potent nerve agent),
  it will remain on exposed surfaces for a longer period of time compared
  with VX.
   

Immediate
signs and symptoms of soman exposure

• Although soman
  has a camphor or fruity odor, the odor may not be noticeable enough
  to give people sufficient warning against a toxic exposure.
• People exposed
  to a low or moderate dose of soman by inhalation, ingestion (swallowing),
  or skin absorption may experience some or all of the following symptoms
  within seconds to hours of exposure:
   
  • Runny nose
  • Watery eyes
  • Small, pinpoint
    pupils
  • Eye pain
  • Blurred vision
  • Drooling and
    excessive sweating
  • Cough
  • Chest tightness
  • Rapid breathing
  • Diarrhea
  • Increased urination
  • Confusion
  • Drowsiness
  • Weakness
  • Headache
  • Nausea, vomiting,
    and/or abdominal pain
  • Slow or fast
    heart rate
  • Abnormally
    low or high blood pressure
• Even a tiny drop
  of nerve agent on the skin can cause sweating and muscle twitching here
  the agent touched the skin.
• Exposure to a large
  dose of soman by any route may result in these additional health effects:
  
   
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Convulsions
  • Paralysis
  • Respiratory
    failure possibly leading to death

What the long-term
health effects are

• Mild or moderately
  exposed people usually recover completely. Some studies in animals and
  people suggest that severe nerve agent poisoning can cause long-term
  central nervous system effects, such as changes in brain activity. However,
  it is unclear what such changes may mean, if anything, regarding the
  function and long-term health status of a person who has been mildly
  or moderately exposed to soman.

How people
can protect themselves and what they should do if they are exposed to
soman

• Recovery from soman
  exposure is possible with treatment, but the antidotes available must
  be used quickly to be effective. Therefore, the best thing to do is
  avoid exposure. If exposure cannot be avoided, rapidly decontaminate
  and get medical care as quickly as possible.
• Leave the area
  where the soman was released and get to fresh air. Quickly moving to
  an area where fresh air is available is highly effective in reducing
  the possibility of death from exposure to soman vapor.
• If the soman release
  was outdoors, move away from the area where the soman was released.
  Go to the highest ground possible, because soman is heavier than air
  and will sink to low-lying areas.
• If the soman release
  was indoors, get out of the building.
• Remove any clothing
  that has liquid soman on it, and if possible, seal the clothing in a
  plastic bag. Then seal the first plastic bag in a second plastic bag.
  Removing and sealing the clothing in this way will protect you and others
  from any chemicals that might be on your clothes.
• If helping other
  people remove their clothing, try to avoid touching any contaminated
  areas, and remove the clothing as quickly as possible.
• Rinse the eyes
  with plain water for 10 to 15 minutes if they are burning or vision
  is blurred.
• As quickly as possible,
  wash any liquid soman from the skin with large amounts of soap and water.
  Washing with soap and water will protect people from any chemicals on
  their bodies.
• If soman has been
  ingested (swallowed), do not induce vomiting or give fluids to drink.
  Seek medical attention right away.
• Stay calm. Dial
  911 and explain what has happened.
• Wait for emergency
  personnel to arrive.
   

How soman
poisoning is treated

Soman poisoning is
treated with antidotes and supportive medical care. The most important
thing is for victims to be rapidly decontaminated and get medical treatment
as soon as possible.

How people can get more information about soman

People can
contact one of the following:

• Regional poison
  control center (1-800-222-1222)
• Centers for Disease
  Control and Prevention Public Response Hotline (CDC)
  • English (888)
    246-2675
  • Español (888)
    246-2857
  • TTY (866) 874-2646
• Agency for Toxic
  Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (1-888-422-8737)