Detection of chemical warfare agent simulants and hydrolysis products in biological samples by paper spray mass spectrometry.

Paper spray ionization coupled to a high resolution tandem mass spectrometer (a quadrupole orbitrap) was used to identify and quantitate chemical warfare agent (CWA) simulants and their hydrolysis products in blood and urine. Three CWA simulants, dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), trimethyl phosphate (TMP), and diisopropyl methylphosphonate (DIMP), and their isotopically labeled standards were analyzed in human whole blood and urine. Calibration curves were generated and tested with continuing calibration verification standards.

Younger rats are more susceptible to the lethal effects of sarin than adult rats: 24 h LC for whole-body (10 and 60 min) exposures.

Chemical warfare nerve agents (CWNA) inhibit acetylcholinesterase and are among the most lethal chemicals known to man. Children are predicted to be vulnerable to CWNA exposure because of their smaller body masses, higher ventilation rates and immature central nervous systems. While a handful of studies on the effects of CWNA in younger animals have been published, exposure routes relevant to battlefield or terrorist situations (i.

Comparison of sarin and cyclosarin toxicity by subcutaneous, intravenous and inhalation exposure in Gottingen minipigs.

Sexually mature male and female Gottingen minipigs were exposed to various concentrations of GB and GF vapor via whole-body inhalation exposures or to liquid GB or GF via intravenous or subcutaneous injections. Vapor inhalation exposures were for 10, 60 or 180 min. Maximum likelihood estimation was used to calculate the median effect levels for severe effects (ECT50 and ED50) and lethality (LCT50 and LD50).

Gender difference in the miotic potency of soman vapor in rats.

The present study was undertaken to investigate the miotic potency of soman vapor in the rat, as well as gender differences in the miotic response to soman vapor that have been reported previously for other nerve agents. The results of the present study demonstrate that the miotic potency of soman vapor is significantly less than that of other nerve agents, and that female rats are 2.5-3.

Kinetics of sarin (GB) following a single sublethal inhalation exposure in the guinea pig.

To improve toxicity estimates from sublethal exposures to chemical warfare nerve agents (CWNA), it is necessary to generate mathematical models of the absorption, distribution, and elimination of nerve agents. However, current models are based on representative data sets generated with different routes of exposure and in different species and are designed to interpolate between limited laboratory data sets to predict a wide range of possible human exposure scenarios. This study was performed to integrate CWNA sublethal toxicity data in male Duncan Hartley guinea pigs.

Comparison of low-level sarin and cyclosarin vapor exposure on pupil size of the Gottingen minipig: effects of exposure concentration and duration.

The current studies estimated effective (miosis) concentrations of the nerve agents' sarin (GB) and cyclosarin (GF) as a function of exposure duration in the Gottingen minipig and determined dependency of the median effective dosage (ECT50) over time. Male and female Gottingen minipigs were exposed to various concentrations of vapor GB or GF for 10, 60, or 180 min. Infrared images of the pig's pupil before, during, and after nerve agent exposure were captured digitally and pupil area was quantified.

Tolerance to the miotic effect of sarin vapor in rats after multiple low-level exposures.

Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by the organophosphorous compound sarin (GB) results in the accumulation of acetylcholine and excessive cholinergic stimulation. There are few data in the literature regarding the effects of multiple low-level exposures to GB and other organophosphorous compounds via relevant routes of exposure. Therefore, the present study was undertaken, and is the first, to investigate the effect of low-level repeated whole-body inhalation exposures to GB vapor on pupil size and cholinesterase activity in the eyes and blood.

Miotic tolerance to sarin vapor exposure: role of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

O-isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate, also known as sarin or GB, is a highly toxic organophosphorous compound that exerts its effect by inhibiting the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. While the effects of a single exposure to GB vapor are well characterized, the effects of multiple exposures to GB vapor are less clear. Previous studies in the rat and guinea pig have demonstrated that multiple exposures result in tolerance to the miotic effect of nerve agents.