Nerve agents are completely terrifying in this episode I discuss the different classes of nerve agents, and we determine which ones are the most EVIL.

Exposure to nerve agents is usually treated with atropine and pralidoxime chloride (2PAM chloride).

Nerve agents inhibit acetylcholinesterase, which is an enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of acetylcholine. Some nerve agents covalently bind to the enzyme, and can damage the active site of the enzyme, so the acetylcholine builds up, the signal keeps sending, and the motor neurons keep firing. The G series and V series of nerve agents were mass produced, weaponized agents, while the EA series, A series, and others are not known to be mass produced or weaponized.

Support the Channel on Patreon   / thatchemist  

Join the Community Discord!   / discord  
Second Discord link if the first one is borked   / discord  


References:
(Graphic) Rabbits exposed to nerve agents    • US Army Nerve Agent Weapons Experimen...  
Scary book Jared Ledgard, A Laboratory History of Chemical Warfare Agents (the link to this book was deactivated; perhaps the uploader had violated the hosting site's TOS its ISBN13 number is‎ 9780615136455)
Methyl cyclosarin treatment patent https://patents.google.com/patent/US1...
Earliest Methyl cyclosarin reference https://scihub.se/10.1007/BF00354767
Previous Tierlist    • 'Fukinone' got this tierlist demonetized  
Hydrolysis of VX/EA2192 https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.99107933
VR 'first Novichok' https://cen.acs.org/articles/96/i12/N...
SL599 (SB8) paper https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ja01...
Perfect 10 patent https://patents.google.com/patent/US4...


Molecules for this tierlist Tabun (GA), Sarin (GB), Chlorosarin, Thiosarin (GBS), Soman (GD), Cyclosarin (GF), Methyl cyclosarin (EA1356), VX, EA2192, Russian VX (VR), Chinese VX, Vsub x, A230, A234, A242, C01A039, C01A042, Neostigmine, TMTFA, TL599 (SB8), T1123, T1152, 469253001, 468629301 (Agent 110), 468629302 (Agent 18)

Tierlist Playlist    • Chemistry Tierlists