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Phosphorus trichloride: Difference between revisions
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== Nerve Agents == | == Nerve Agents == | ||
[[Image:799px-155mmMustardGasShells.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Pallets of artillery shells containing mustard gas, a deadly nerve agent.]] | [[Image:799px-155mmMustardGasShells.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Pallets of artillery shells containing mustard gas, a deadly nerve agent.]] | ||
Nerve agents are toxic gases that are inhaled or absorbed through the skin and have harmful effects on the nervous and respiratory system. All of them are colorless liquids in their base state. Since all the nerve agents belong to the organo-phosphorus compounds, phosphorus trichloride is considered to be a nerve agent. This is because the phosphorus bond is considerably weaker when compared to other bonds, and are easily broken. Nerve agents get their name because they block the signal from the nerves to the brain. Their effects rapidly spread through the both skin, as well as the respiratory system, where the poisoning spreads much quicker. | |||
The first nerve agent was discovered in 1934 by German chemist Dr. Gerhard Schrader. The toxic chemical was named tabun and the Nazi party later produced 12000 tons of it during World War 2. They also created two additional nerve agents, giving the trio the name "G agents". After the war, the Allies took most of the tabun and studied it in order to learn better methods of protection. In the process, they discovered what became known as the "V agents", which were ten times more poisonous than the G agents. Surprisingly, a few were available as pesticides, but were quickly taken off the public market for obvious reasons. Since creating nerve agents is a fairly simple chemical technique, and the materials are inexpensive, nerve agents are often a weapon of evil rather than a tool for good. [http://www.opcw.org/about-chemical-weapons/types-of-chemical-agent/nerve-agents/] | |||
== References== | == References== | ||
