VX Nerve Agent Toxicity: How Small Amounts Cause Systemic Effects?
Context VX is a highly toxic nerve agent. Understanding its mechanism of action is crucial for understanding its lethality. The question explores why such a small amount of VX can be fatal despite the victim's significantly larger body mass, and why the effects are not localized to the point of contact. Simple Answer VX is incredibly potent; even tiny amounts can disrupt your body's crucial functions. It gets absorbed through your skin very easily and quickly enters your bloodstream. Once in your blood, VX blocks signals in your nerves causing muscles to spasm uncontrollably. This affects breathing and heart function leading to death if not treated immediately. The effects are not localized because the blood carries the poison throughout the body. Detailed Answer The extreme toxicity of VX stems from its potent interaction with the nervous system. VX is an organophosphate nerve agent, meaning it inhibits acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme crucial for breaking down acetylcholine...