Facts About Tabun

Download PDF version formatted for print


(157
KB/4 pages)

What tabun
is

• Tabun 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.
• Tabun was originally
  developed as an insecticide in Germany in 1936.
• Tabun is also known
  as “GA.”
• Tabun is a clear,
  colorless, tasteless liquid with a faint fruity odor.

Where tabun is found and how it is used

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

How people
can be exposed to tabun

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

 

How tabun
works

• The extent of poisoning
  caused by tabun depends on the amount of tabun 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 tabun, 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.
• Tabun vapor is
  heavier than air, so it would be more likely to settle in low-lying
  areas.
• Tabun mixes easily
  with water, so it could be used to poison water.
• Compared with other
  nerve agents, tabun 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, tabun is an immediate but short-lived threat and does
  not last a long time in the environment.
• Because tabun is
  more volatile than VX, it will remain on exposed surfaces for a shorter
  period of time compared with VX.
• Because tabun is
  less volatile than sarin, it will remain on exposed surfaces for a longer
  period of time compared with sarin.

Immediate signs and symptoms of tabun exposure

• Although tabun
  has a faint 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 tabun 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 where
  the agent touched the skin.
• Exposure to a large
  dose of tabun 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 tabun.
 

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

• Recovery from tabun
  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 tabun 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 tabun vapor.
  • If the tabun
    release was outdoors, move away from the area where the tabun was
    released. Go to the highest ground possible, because tabun is heavier
    than air and will sink to low-lying areas.
  • If the tabun
    release was indoors, get out of the building.
• Remove any clothing
  that has liquid tabun 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 tabun 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 tabun 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 tabun poisoning is treated

Tabun 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 tabun

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)