A "dip and shoot" analytical method was developed for the rapid sampling and desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometric (DESI-MS) analysis of chemical warfare agents and their hydrolysis products in liquid samples. Sampling was performed by simply dipping fused silica, stainless steel or SPME tips into the organic or aqueous samples. Replicate analyses were completed within several minutes under ambient conditions with no sample pre-treatment, resulting in a significant increase in sample throughput over conventional solid phase microextraction (SPME) sampling and DESI-MS analysis or liquid chromatographic electrospray ionization mass spectrometric (LC-ESI-MS) analysis. The developed sample handling and analysis method was applied to the determination of chemical warfare agent content in samples containing unknown chemical and/or biological warfare agents. Ottawa sand was spiked with mustard, extracted with water and autoclaved to ensure sterility. Mustard was completely hydrolysed during the extraction/autoclave step and thiodiglycol was identified by DESI-MS, with analyses generally being completed within one minute using the "dip and shoot" method developed for the rapid analysis of liquid samples.

This book describes nerve agents and vesicants, their decomposition and their degradation products' chemistry as well as their toxicity including a list of detection techniques of nerve agents and their degradation products. This book will present their history, toxicity, comparison between different sample preparation methods, separation techniques, and detection methods all together in a short, easy to read book, tied together by a single group doing the writing and the editing to assure smooth transition from chapter to chapter, with sufficient Tables and literature references for the reader who looks to further detail.The text will illustrate the pluses and minuses of the various techniques with sufficient references for the reader to obtain extensive detail.

Terrorist use of chemical warfare agents could involve contamination of consumer products with chemical warfare agents or other toxic chemicals. Liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) and desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) have been used at DRDC Suffield for the identification of chemical warfare agents and both approaches were evaluated for the determination of chemical warfare agents in spiked consumer products. Three consumer products, bottled water, canola oil and corn meal, were selected as candidates for the evaluation and comparative purposes. Each of these media was contaminated with low mug/g levels of chemical warfare agents, levels typically used for evaluation purposes by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). In house LC-ESI-MS and LC-ESI-MS/MS methods were evaluated for the determination of chemical warfare agents in spiked bottled water samples. The headspaces above spiked corn meal and canola oil samples were sampled with SPME fibers and the fibers were analysed by DESI-MS and DESI-MS/MS. MS data for all the spiked compounds were acquired in the continuum mode with a resolution of 8000, which typically resulted in mass measurement errors of 0.002 Da or less. Application of the developed sample handling and analysis methodologies is anticipated during forensic or other investigations where consumer products have been deliberately contaminated with chemical warfare agents.

The threat of biological and chemical terrorism has driven the demand for timely techniques that can quickly detect the agent or agents used in an attack. The detection and/or prevention of these potential security threats provide significant scientific and technical challenges due to the combination of possible agents and modes of delivery available. This book will present a thorough look at the importance and technological challenges of mass spectrometry (MS) for the detection & identification of biological and chemical threats. This new contribution’s general aims are to draw the attention of recognized practitioners, experts and graduate students trying to grasp the latest MS developments in the cutting-edge fields of MS-biodefense technologies for the rapid/early/specific sensitive threat detection of pathogens, viruses, explosives, mycotoxins, chemical agents, and biological markers of xenobiotic chemicals.

Ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention by more than 165 States Parties has reduced the risk of chemical warfare agent use, but there still remains a concern that other parties may make use of these weapons against civilian or military targets. Concerns within the defense and homeland security communities over possible terrorist use as well as the requirements for a verifiable Chemical Weapons Convention have driven the development of analytical methods such as liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for the detection and identification of chemical warfare agents. This paper provides a general overview of chemical warfare agents and analytical methods for their analysis, a focused review of LC-MS applications, a summary of in-house LC-MS methods developed at DRDC Suffield, and a comprehensive bibliography of analytical open literature papers dealing with chemical warfare agent detection and identification. The review sections provide the homeland security and defense communities with an overview of chemical warfare agents and analytical methods for their determination. Researchers interested in developing new methods for chemical warfare agents may use the reviewed material to quickly ascertain the state of development of analytical methods, in particular LC-MS methods, for chemical warfare agents. The reviewed materials will be used for reference purposes during the development of high field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) mass spectrometry, a new analytical technique with the potential to rapidly separate and identify chemical warfare agents. The report concludes with 67 references. Appendix A is a 454-item bibliography of open literature analytical methods for the detection and identification of chemical warfare agents, their degradation products, and related compounds. Paper copies of each paper are held at DRDC Suffield and this comprehensive database of methods continues to be updated regularly using Procite software.

Describes the procedures for collection of samples, sample preparation, and analysis of CWC-related chemicals. It deals with analytical procedures that can be followed in well-equipped off-site laboratories (designated laboratories), as well as the on-site analytical procedures that the OPCW inspectors use in sample collection and preliminary analysis of the samples in field conditions. A one-of-a-kind, highly topical handbook for every expert in the chemical weapons field Outlines the methods for analysing chemical weapons both on and off site Authored by international experts in the field from top laboratories in both government and academic institutions

A sample handling and analysis method was developed for the identification of chemical warfare agents (as intact compounds or as their hydrolysis products) in samples suspected to contain either chemical or biological warfare agent contamination. The method, based on aqueous extraction, autoclaving of the aqueous extract and LC-ESI-MS analysis was evaluated using three soil samples spiked at the 80 microgram/g level with triethyl phosphate, isopropyl methylphosphonic acid or thiodiglycol. All three compounds were readily extracted and identified following LC-ESI-MS, with triethyl phosphate undergoing some hydrolysis during the autoclaving procedure. This sample handling and analysis method for soil (or other) samples will form a cornerstone of the chemical/biological warfare agent identification strategy being developed at DRDC Suffield to meet National commitments.

One of the major problems associated with the disposal of chemical weapons is that the agents have degraded over time, some quite seriously. Detecting and identifying the products of this decomposition are necessary prerequisites to the safe, complete and environmentally benign destruction of stockpiled weapons. The book presents and discusses both basic and novel techniques in a variety of areas of analytical chemistry which are relevant to achieving the ultimate destruction of chemical weapons. Presentations address sample collection and preparation, mass spectrometry, chromatographic techniques, NMR, and air monitoring techniques. The work shows that analytical methods do exist to effectively support the destruction of chemical munitions. While further research is needed, the book provides an excellent baseline for further advances in the field.

Chemical Warfare Agents, Second Edition has been totally revised since the successful first edition and expanded to about three times the length, with many new chapters and much more in-depth consideration of all the topics. The chapters have been written by distinguished international experts in various aspects of chemical warfare agents and edited by an experienced team to produce a clear review of the field. The book now contains a wealth of material on the mechanisms of action of the major chemical warfare agents, including the nerve agent cyclosarin, formally considered to be of secondary importance, as well as ricin and abrin. Chemical Warfare Agents, Second Edition discusses the physico-chemical properties of chemical warfare agents, their dispersion and fate in the environment, their toxicology and management of their effects on humans, decontamination and protective equipment. New chapters cover the experience gained after the use of sarin to attack travellers on the Tokyo subway and how to deal with the outcome of the deployment of riot control agents such as CS gas. This book provides a comprehensive review of chemical warfare agents, assessing all available evidence regarding the medical, technical and legal aspects of their use. It is an invaluable reference work for physicians, public health planners, regulators and any other professionals involved in this field. Review of the First Edition: "What more appropriate time for a title of this scope than in the post 9/11 era? ...a timely, scholarly, and well-written volume which offers much information of immense current and…future benefit." —VETERINARY AND HUMAN TOXICOLOGY

Over the past several years Defence Research Establishment Suffield (DRES) developed LC-ESI-MS methods for the analysis of a variety of samples of chemical defence interest. These samples included hydrolysed munitions grade mustard, degraded 0-ethyl S-2-(DIISOPROPYLAMINO)ETHYL methylphosphonothiolate (VX), snow contaminated with sarin (GB), soil contaminated with sarin (GB) and soman (GD), munitions grade tabun (GA), failed synthetic products and synthetic standards. During these investigations DRES acquired ESI-MS data for sixty chemical warfare agents, degradation products and related compounds. Data were obtained with a resolution of 5000 (50% valley definition) in the continuum mode at several sampling cone voltages. At lower sampling cone voltages the mass spectra were dominated by protonated, sodiated and protonated acetonitrile adducts and/or their dimers that could be used to confirm the molecular mass of each compound. Structural information was obtained by inducing product ion formation in the ESI interface at higher sampling cone voltages. Representative data obtained at both a lower and higher sampling cone voltage were selected for entry into the DRES ESI-MS Database as part of a collaboration between Canada (DRES) and The Netherlands (TNO Prins Maurits Laboratory).