Development of an analytical methodology for sarin (GB) and soman (GD) in various military-related wastes.
The Army requires analytical methods that can detect chemical agents down to the low part-per-billion (ppb) levels in their waste streams in order to meet various state regulations regarding the classification of hazardous waste. Analytical methods were developed for the measurement of sarin (GB) and soman (GD) at ppb levels that involved preconcentration of relatively large volumes (40-150 microliters) of a chloroform extract onto a sorbent cartridge, followed by thermal desorption and analysis by GC-flame photometric detection. Certified reporting limits (CRLs) achieved with these methods ranged from 8.3 to 19 ppb for GB and from 1.8 to 5.3 ppb for GD in the three matrices screened. Method detection limits (MDLs) achieved with these methods ranged from 1.7 to 8.2 ppb for GB and from 0.39 to 1.2 ppb for GD. The methods are capable of achieving lower CRLs and MDLs with only minor modification.
Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439-4815, USA. joneill@anl.gov
Hugh J
HJ
O'Neill
Kenneth L
KL
Brubaker
John F
JF
Schneider
Louis F
LF
Sytsma
Todd A
TA
Kimmell
D002138:Calibration; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012524:Sarin / Q000032:analysis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012999:Soman / Q000032:analysis*
D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D012999:Soman; D012524:Sarin