Detecting Chemical Agents Targeted On Civilians

Main Category: Bio-terrorism / Terrorism
Article Date: 15 May 2006 - 4:00 PDT

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Concerns about terrorist activity have created the need for early warning systems that quickly and accurately detect hazardous substances in water, food and air. Chemical weapons (CW) agents, which can be used against civilian populations, are among the threats. Efforts are underway to develop fast and portable technology for detecting CW agents dispersed by terrorists.

Jack Syage and colleagues at Syagen Technology, Inc., in Tustin, Calif., are reporting development of a new screening technology for CW agents. In a report scheduled for the May issue of Analytical Chemistry, they describe use of the technology (photoionization mass spectrometry) to detect VX, GA, GB, HN1 and other CW agents.

With the standard existing method for detecting CW agents (gas chromatography/mass spectrometry), it takes upwards of one hour to test each sample. That is too slow to test the large number of samples that are needed to conduct continuous screening against terrorist incidents. Syagen’s screening technology can detect a wide range of CW and other hazardous substances in about 45 seconds. The researchers envision it as the basis for a routine, real-time early warning system for CW agents and other hazardous compounds in air and water.

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Contact: Michael Woods
m_woods@acs.org
American Chemical Society

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