| Physical Description |
Sarin appears as a colorless, odorless liquid. Almost no odor in pure state. Used as a quick-acting military chemical nerve agent. Chemical warfare agent. |
| Color/Form |
Liquid |
| Odor |
Almost odorless in pure state |
| Taste |
Tasteless in its pure form |
| Boiling Point |
297 °F at 760 mmHg (EPA, 1998) |
| Melting Point |
-71 °F (EPA, 1998) |
| Flash Point |
Non-flammable (EPA, 1998) |
| Solubility |
Miscible with water /1X10+6 mg/L at 25 °C / |
| Density |
1.1 at 68 °F (EPA, 1998) - Denser than water; will sink |
| Vapor Density |
4.86 (EPA, 1998) - Heavier than air; will sink (Relative to Air) |
| Vapor Pressure |
2.9 mmHg at 77 °F (EPA, 1998) |
| LogP |
log Kow = 0.30 |
| Stability/Shelf Life |
Unstable in the presence of water. |
| Decomposition |
Decomposes thermally to form a variety of phosphorus containing products as well as propylene. The rate of decomposition increases with increase in temperature, and in the presence of acids. At the boiling point of GB, under atmospheric conditions, decomposition is fairly rapid. |
| Corrosivity |
Slightly corrosive to steel |
| Odor Threshold |
At a concentration of sarin under 1.5 mg/cu m, 8 of 15 people noted an odor, but gave no good description of it and did not think they would recognize it again. |
| Kovats Retention Index |
792 789 791.8 820 789 |
| Other Experimental Properties |
Rapidly hydrolyzed by dilute aqueous sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate forming relatively non-toxic products. |
| Chemical Classes |
Toxic Gases & Vapors -> Chemical Weapons |
