Chemical weapons attacks have killed dozens on the outskirts of Damascus, Syrian opposition activists claim.
Rockets with toxic agents were launched at the suburbs of the Ghouta region early on Wednesday as part of a major bombardment on rebel forces, they say.
A team of UN inspectors arrived in Syria on Sunday to probe earlier allegations of chemical weapons use.
Syria's state-run news agency said that the reports were "baseless" and an attempt to distract the inspectors.
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague expressed "deep concern" and called for the Syrian government "to allow immediate access to the area" for the investigators.
If confirmed, the attacks would mark a "shocking escalation in the use of chemical weapons in Syria", Mr Hague said.
The Arab League echoed the call for the inspectors to go to the site, AFP reports.
The attack took place as part of heavy government bombardment of the region surrounding Damascus, where government forces have been trying to drive out rebel forces.
Casualties were reported in the areas of Irbin, Duma and Muadhamiya among others, activists said.
Footage uploaded to YouTube from the scene by activists shows many people being treated in makeshift hospitals.
The videos show victims, including many children, having convulsions. Others are apparently immobile and have difficulty breathing.
The BBC has not been able to authenticate the footage fully, but based on additional checks made, it is believed to be genuine.
The number of casualties is much higher than in previous allegations of chemical weapons attacks.
It is not clear whether the UN inspectors will look into the latest allegations. They are due to investigate three other locations, including the northern town of Khan al-Assal, where some 26 people were killed in March.
Syrian state news agency Sana said the reports of the attack were "baseless", quoting a "media source".
The reports were "an attempt to divert the UN chemical weapons investigation commission away from carrying out its duties", Sana said.
'Horrific' footageThe latest incident throws up more questions than answers, the BBC's Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen reports.
Many will ask why the government would want to use such weapons at a time when inspectors are in the country and the military has been doing well militarily in the area around Damascus, he says.
Some will suspect that the footage has been fabricated, but the videos that have been emerged would be difficult to fake, he adds.
Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former commanding officer at the UK's Joint Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Regiment, told the BBC's Today programme that the footage was "horrific" and agreed that it would be "very difficult to stage-manage".
If the UN inspectors were able to get to the scene, they should have the equipment to identify the chemical that has been used, if any, Mr de Bretton-Gordon said.
Residue from any agent used should be detectable at the scene for a period of two to three days or possibly a week, he said.
Both the rebels and government forces have accused each other of using chemical weapons during the conflict.
It is not possible to independently verify the claims.
Syria is widely believed to possess large undeclared stockpiles of mustard gas and sarin nerve agent.
| Sarin - nerve agent | Mustard gas - blistering agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) | ||
| Appearance/smell | Odourless, tasteless, colourless | Colourless and sometimes odourless. Claimed to have smell similar to rotten onions, garlic or mustard |
| Form | Liquid form, vaporises (gas) quickly and spreads | Liquid at room temperature, but is more commonly used in its gas form |
| Absorption | Contact with skin or inhalation or can be ingested in food or water | Contact with skin or inhalation |
| Speed of impact | Symptoms appear within seconds after exposure to vapour form and up to 18 hours after exposure to liquid form | No immediate symptoms upon contact; takes two - 24 hours for victim to become aware |
| Effects | Sarin attacks the nervous system. Inhalation can cause death within 1 - 10 minutes of exposure | Mustard gas is a blistering agent, burning eyes and skin exposed to it and lungs, mouth and throat if it is inhaled. It is not normally lethal, but can cause cancer and serious disfigurement |
| Symptoms | Mild exposures can result in eye irritation, runny nose, blurred vision, drooling, a cough, chest tightness, diarrhoea, confusion, drowsiness and nausea. Serious exposure can kill in minutes without treatment. Symptoms include respiratory failure, loss of consciousness and paralysis | Conjunctivitis, skin burns, throat pain, cough and susceptibility to infection and pneumonia |
| Treatment | Antidotes atropine and physostigmine but must be administered immediately | There is no treatment or antidote to treat mustard agent injuries. The agent must be removed entirely from the body |
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