title: Rapid fluorophosphate nerve agent detection with lanthanides.
abstract: We explore the detection of vapors of diisopropylfluorophosphate, a model compound for nerve agents such as Sarin, by means of photoluminescence quenching of filter paper impregnated with sensitized complexes of lanthanides, involving thenoyltrifluoroacetone and 1,10-phenanthroline as sensitizing ligands. We find that the presence of the fluorophosphate vapor is detectable in as little as 2s, by simple visual observation under illumination with a hand-held low intensity ultraviolet lamp.
authors.affiliation: Center for Forensic Studies, Department of Physics, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-1051, USA.
authors.forename: E Roland
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Menzel
authors.forename: Laird W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Menzel
authors.forename: Jake R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Schwierking