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| Novichok: Why nerve agent source must be found | Novichok: Why nerve agent source must be found |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Police have said they believe Novichok could remain a threat for up to 50 years if left in a sealed container. What do we know about how long the nerve agent poses a danger? | |
| The death of Dawn Sturgess is a potent reminder of just how dangerous Novichok is and why it is vital to work out how she came into contact with it. | The death of Dawn Sturgess is a potent reminder of just how dangerous Novichok is and why it is vital to work out how she came into contact with it. |
| Police are searching for a contaminated container they think was handled by Ms Sturgess and her partner Charlie Rowley - who remains critically ill in hospital. | |
| Counter-terror chief Neil Basu said it was "implausible" the poisoning was not linked to the attack on former Russian spy Sergei and his daughter Yulia in early March. | |
| But with no guarantee that all traces of Novichok have been found, what is known about how long it lasts? | |
| How nerve agents work | How nerve agents work |
| All nerve agents poison in the same way, which is to inhibit the enzyme involved in regulating the body's messages along nerves and between nerves and muscle. | All nerve agents poison in the same way, which is to inhibit the enzyme involved in regulating the body's messages along nerves and between nerves and muscle. |
| The effect is devastating, with muscles compromised and nerves linked to other organs rendered ineffective. | The effect is devastating, with muscles compromised and nerves linked to other organs rendered ineffective. |
| Glands also stop working properly and breathing becomes more difficult. | Glands also stop working properly and breathing becomes more difficult. |
| How badly affected people are varies greatly - for example, some people are able to break down the chemicals three times as fast as others. | How badly affected people are varies greatly - for example, some people are able to break down the chemicals three times as fast as others. |
| The dose received and how long it takes to get medical treatment also influences how sick people become. | The dose received and how long it takes to get medical treatment also influences how sick people become. |
| How healthy someone is also makes a big difference - the more robust someone is, the better able they are to cope. | How healthy someone is also makes a big difference - the more robust someone is, the better able they are to cope. |
| How long Novichok lasts | How long Novichok lasts |
| So what do we know about Novichok and how long it remains in the environment? | So what do we know about Novichok and how long it remains in the environment? |
| Regrettably, very little. | Regrettably, very little. |
| There is insufficient scientific data to be certain about the time it takes for this chemical to degrade and for the threat it poses to end. | There is insufficient scientific data to be certain about the time it takes for this chemical to degrade and for the threat it poses to end. |
| Some people have suggested that it disappears relatively quickly and that the poisoning of Ms Sturgess and Mr Rowley is therefore a separate attack to the one on the Skripals. | Some people have suggested that it disappears relatively quickly and that the poisoning of Ms Sturgess and Mr Rowley is therefore a separate attack to the one on the Skripals. |
| But that would be jumping to conclusions. | But that would be jumping to conclusions. |
| Nerve agents fall into two categories in terms of how long they remain in the environment. | Nerve agents fall into two categories in terms of how long they remain in the environment. |
| "Less persistent" nerve agents - those that degrade more quickly - include a range of chemical weapons put into munitions for battlefield use. | "Less persistent" nerve agents - those that degrade more quickly - include a range of chemical weapons put into munitions for battlefield use. |
| These substances - including tabun and sarin - are broken down by water and can evaporate. | These substances - including tabun and sarin - are broken down by water and can evaporate. |
| Because they can form vapours, they pose a danger through inhalation. | Because they can form vapours, they pose a danger through inhalation. |
| You may also be interested in: | You may also be interested in: |
| Who controls the world's most toxic chemicals? | Who controls the world's most toxic chemicals? |
| Why Ebola keeps coming back | Why Ebola keeps coming back |
| Why North Korea is destroying its nuclear test site | Why North Korea is destroying its nuclear test site |
| How big is the Kremlin's diplomatic network? | How big is the Kremlin's diplomatic network? |
| "More persistent" nerve agents were produced to enable the military to contaminate areas for some time - thereby denying access to the enemy unless suitably clothed in protective gear. | "More persistent" nerve agents were produced to enable the military to contaminate areas for some time - thereby denying access to the enemy unless suitably clothed in protective gear. |
| The recent hot weather in the UK illustrates how difficult it would be for soldiers to operate in such an environment. | The recent hot weather in the UK illustrates how difficult it would be for soldiers to operate in such an environment. |
| Those involved in searching for the Novichok container were able to remain in their protective suits for only about 30 minutes at a time. | Those involved in searching for the Novichok container were able to remain in their protective suits for only about 30 minutes at a time. |
| This group of nerve agents includes VX. They do not vaporise as easily and are what is referred to as a "contact-hazard". | This group of nerve agents includes VX. They do not vaporise as easily and are what is referred to as a "contact-hazard". |
| Uptake through the skin happens with all nerve agents but is the likely route of exposure for these "persistent agents". | Uptake through the skin happens with all nerve agents but is the likely route of exposure for these "persistent agents". |
| The chemical structure of what has been published about Novichok places this chemical in the more persistent category. | The chemical structure of what has been published about Novichok places this chemical in the more persistent category. |
| And if stored in any container, the amount of time it remains a danger would be extended. | And if stored in any container, the amount of time it remains a danger would be extended. |
| Novichok: What we know so far | Novichok: What we know so far |
| But even the "non-persistent" agent sarin can hang around. | But even the "non-persistent" agent sarin can hang around. |
| In 1992, I was part of a team collecting soil and bomb fragments from a site in Iraq, four years after a bomb had exploded. | In 1992, I was part of a team collecting soil and bomb fragments from a site in Iraq, four years after a bomb had exploded. |
| We found sarin under a fleck of paint on a bomb fragment. | We found sarin under a fleck of paint on a bomb fragment. |
| We were lucky, if you like, in our find - the agent was still present because it was a site of high contamination. | We were lucky, if you like, in our find - the agent was still present because it was a site of high contamination. |
| Novichok: Murder inquiry after Dawn Sturgess dies | Novichok: Murder inquiry after Dawn Sturgess dies |
| What are Novichok agents and what do they do? | What are Novichok agents and what do they do? |
| Salisbury poisoning: What is Novichok? | Salisbury poisoning: What is Novichok? |
| This also explains why inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons have found sarin in Syria, months after the detonation of munitions. | This also explains why inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons have found sarin in Syria, months after the detonation of munitions. |
| The police investigating the murder of Dawn Sturgess and the poisoning of Charlie Rowley and the Skripals face a daunting task. | The police investigating the murder of Dawn Sturgess and the poisoning of Charlie Rowley and the Skripals face a daunting task. |
| But they are being advised by very knowledgeable experts who are well aware of the dangers the Novichok agent poses. | But they are being advised by very knowledgeable experts who are well aware of the dangers the Novichok agent poses. |
| And no reminder is needed of how important it is to find the nerve agent "container" or other source of this latest poisoning. | And no reminder is needed of how important it is to find the nerve agent "container" or other source of this latest poisoning. |
| About this piece | About this piece |
| This analysis piece was commissioned by the BBC from an expert working for an outside organisation. | This analysis piece was commissioned by the BBC from an expert working for an outside organisation. |
| Alastair Hay is emeritus professor of environmental toxicology, at the University of Leeds. He is a member of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons's advisory board on education and outreach and joint winner of the 2015 OPCW -The Hague Award for outstanding contributions towards preventing the use of chemical weapons. | Alastair Hay is emeritus professor of environmental toxicology, at the University of Leeds. He is a member of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons's advisory board on education and outreach and joint winner of the 2015 OPCW -The Hague Award for outstanding contributions towards preventing the use of chemical weapons. |
| Edited by Duncan Walker | Edited by Duncan Walker |