Chemical weapons - Syria: sarin

Description

Poisoning, Conflict — Syria
Last week, 2 reporters for the French newspaper Le Monde announced that 2 urine samples they smuggled out of Syria had been tested by the French Centre for Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence south of Paris and found to contain isopropyl methylphosphonic acid. That is sarin with a fluoride ion removed by chemical breakdown in the body, says Alastair Hay at the University of Leeds, UK, a leading CW expert. "It can only come from sarin." Blood and urine retain traces of sarin exposure for