Probe of troops' exposure to chemical arms faulted

Ember, Lois

doi:10.1021/cen-v074n039.p040

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…However, the possible relationship between the so-called Gulf War Syndrome and accidental exposure to trace amounts of sarin and cyclohexyl sarin (Ember, 1996) has made clear that knowledge on the acute and delayed effects of low or trace exposure to nerve agents, insecticides and a variety of environmental chemicals is scarce (Gardner et al, 2003;Abou-Donia et al, 1996). Several military and terrorist scenarios can be envisioned in which low or trace exposures become significant.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Whole Blood Robotic Cholinesterase Assay for Organophosphate Exposure - Testing Soldiers, First Responders, and Civilians in the Field and Laboratory

Gordon

Haigh

Garcia

et al. 2006

Transformational Science and Technology for the Current and Future Force

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Whole Blood Robotic Cholinesterase Assay for Organophosphate Exposure - Testing Soldiers, First Responders, and Civilians in the Field and Laboratory

Gordon

Haigh

Garcia

et al. 2006

Transformational Science and Technology for the Current and Future Force

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“…As a possible contributing factor to the Gulf War Syndrome, Ember (1996) suggested exposure of military personnel due to downwind transport of an agent over long distances from contaminated areas, i.e. areas where enemy stockpiles were destroyed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous work on low-level exposure to chemical warfare (CW) agents was related to the envi-For several reasons we have chosen sarin as the target compound to study the effects of nerve agents during low-level exposure: several potential adversaries have stockpiled this agent for possible use in chemical warfare; it has been claimed that soldiers may have been exposed to sarin during or in the aftermath of the Gulf War when rockets filled with sarin were destroyed near Khamisiyah, Iraq (Ember, 1996); sarin is a very volatile nerve agent; and sarin has been used in terrorist attacks by the AUM Shinriyko sect in Matsumoto (1994) and Tokyo (1995) (Croddy, 1995;Polhuijs et al, 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low levels of sarin affect the eeg in marmoset monkeys: a pilot study

Helden¹,

Vanwersch²,

Kuijpers³

et al. 2004

J of Applied Toxicology

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The main purpose of this pilot study was to estimate the lowest observable adverse effect level (LOAEL) for the electroencephalogram (EEG) upon long-term, low-level exposure of vehicle-pretreated and pyridostigmine-pretreated marmoset monkeys to sarin vapour. This is the C.t value (t=5 h) of exposure at which the EEG becomes significantly different from that resulting from air exposure of the same animals. The LOAELs for effects on the EEG in vehicle- and pyridostigmine-pretreated marmosets appeared to be 0.2 and 0.1 mg min m(-3), respectively. Comparatively, the latter LOAEL values are at least an order of magnitude lower than the previously established LOAEL for miosis and only 2-5 times higher than the lowest observable effect level (LOEL) of bound sarin in blood. The second aim of the study was to analyse the EEG of the same marmosets again during a 5-h exposure to air 1 year after exposure to sarin vapour. All the marmosets still demonstrated significant (P <0.05) EEG differences. In most vehicle-pretreated marmosets the energy (microV2) per EEG band was higher than that observed 1 year earlier, which might indicate that neurons had become more sensitive to excitation. This phenomenon was less pronounced in pyridostigmine-pretreated animals. Visual examination of the EEG records revealed clear bursts of alpha frequencies (ca. 9 Hz), resembling sleep-spindles, that were present more frequently in both groups of exposed marmosets than in naive animals. These late changes in spindle oscillation might be the result of changes in the cholinergic system due to exposure to sarin vapour 1 year previously. In conclusion, EEG abnormalities persisting for more than 1 year may occur in humans during long-term (5 h) exposure to subclinical levels of sarin that are not detectable by the currently fielded alarm systems.

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“…stockpiles, which is suggested as a possible contributing factor to the Gulf War Syndrome (Ember, 1996).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For several reasons we have chosen sarin as the target compound for the study of the effects of nerve agents during low-level exposure: several potential adversaries have stockpiled this agent for possible use in chemical warfare; it has been claimed that soldiers may have been exposed to sarin during or in the aftermath of the Gulf War when rockets filled with sarin were destroyed at Khamisiyah, Iraq (Ember, 1996); and sarin has been used in terrorist attacks by the AUM Shinriyko sect in Matsumoto (1994) and Tokyo (1995) (Croddy, 1995;Polhuijs et al, 1997).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Low‐level exposure of guinea pigs and marmosets to sarin vapour in air: lowest‐observable‐adverse‐effect level (LOAEL) for miosis

Helden¹,

Trap²,

Kuijpers³

et al. 2004

J of Applied Toxicology

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The purpose of this pilot study was to indicate, for low-level exposure of conscious guinea pigs and marmoset monkeys to sarin vapour in air, the lowest-observable-adverse-effect level (LOAEL) of sarin for miosis. This is the concentration x time (C.t) value (t = 5 h) of exposure at which miosis becomes significant. The ratio of pupil and iris diameters, measured on digital photographs taken on-line during exposure, was calculated as a measure for miosis. The exposure concentrations were in the range 7-150 microg x m(-3) and the exposure times needed to achieve significant miosis were in the range 10-300 min. Both vehicle- and pyridostigmine-pretreated animals were used in the experiments. The latter pretreatment resulted in ca. 30% inhibition of erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase in both species. In vehicle-pretreated guinea pigs and marmosets the pupil size was decreased significantly (P < 0.05) at sarin doses of 1.8 +/- 0.3 and 2.5 +/- 0.8 mg x min x m(-3), respectively. In pyridostigmine-pretreated guinea pigs and marmosets the pupil size was affected significantly (P < 0.05) at 1.8 +/- 0.5 and 3.0 +/- 0.8 mg x min x m(-3), respectively. Evidently there is no significant influence of pyridostigmine pretreatment on the LOAEL. These data were addressed in light of the recommended occupational and detection limits for sarin vapour in air. It was concluded that miosis will occur during low-level sarin exposure at levels that are not detectable by the currently fielded alarm systems, assuming that humans are as sensitive for sarin vapour in air as guinea pigs and marmosets.

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Probe of troops' exposure to chemical arms faulted

Cited by 10 publications

References 0 publications

Whole Blood Robotic Cholinesterase Assay for Organophosphate Exposure - Testing Soldiers, First Responders, and Civilians in the Field and Laboratory

Whole Blood Robotic Cholinesterase Assay for Organophosphate Exposure - Testing Soldiers, First Responders, and Civilians in the Field and Laboratory

Low levels of sarin affect the eeg in marmoset monkeys: a pilot study

Low‐level exposure of guinea pigs and marmosets to sarin vapour in air: lowest‐observable‐adverse‐effect level (LOAEL) for miosis

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