Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric characterisation of amiton and the recovery of amiton from concrete, paint, rubber and soil matrices.
Amiton [O,O-diethyl S-[2-(diethylamino)ethyl] phosphorothiolate], is an organophosphorus chemical included in Schedule 2 of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Verification provisions under the CWC rely on the existence of a database of analytical information for scheduled chemicals and related compounds. Little analytical information is available for amiton. In this study, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) characterisation of amiton and its typical impurities (including by-products and degradation products), supported by selective GC detection and 31P NMR data, was undertaken. Twenty-one compounds, including a by-product unique to amiton from an industrial source, were identified. Involatile degradation products of amiton were derivatised to enable their identification by GC-MS. The recovery of amiton from matrices that may be expected in an inspection scenario (i.e. concrete, paint, rubber and soil) was also examined. Paint and concrete matrices were the most useful matrices for the detection of amiton, and its by-products and degradation products. Amiton was readily detected in these matrices after 28 days.
Borrett
Veronica T
VT
Platforms Sciences Laboratory, Defence Science and Technology Organisation, P.O. Box 4331, Melbourne 3001, Australia.
Gan
Tiang-Hong
TH
Lakeland
Barry R
BR
Leslie
D Ralph
DR
Mathews
Robert J
RJ
Mattsson
Eric R
ER
Riddell
Stuart
S
Tantaro
Vince
V
D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D009946:Organothiophosphorus Compounds / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010150:Paint / Q000032:analysis*; D012408:Rubber / Q000032:analysis*; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*
D009946:Organothiophosphorus Compounds; D012987:Soil; C003415:amiton; D012408:Rubber