Portable membrane inlet mass spectrometric detection and analysis of chemical warfare agent simulants at the U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground S/K challenge event

• Published in: International journal of mass spectrometry 2021-10, Vol.468, p.116635, Article 116635
• Main Authors: Virgen, Camila A., Fox, James D., Santariello, Peter, Winfield, Jaime L., Wright, Kenneth C., Verbeck, Guido F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: CWA simulant detection; Low limits of detection; Membrane inlet mass spectrometry; Rapid response time
• ISSN: 1387-3806; 1873-2798
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijms.2021.116635

There has been a significant demand for the development and improvement of technology used for the detection and identification of Chemical Warfare Agents (CWAs). Some of the current detection technology being used by the U.S. government includes multipass gas cell coupled Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Lightweight Chemical Detectors (LCD) systems. While these systems possess adequate sensitivity to detect CWAs in general, their analysis times are not considered 'rapid' nor are they able to identify the specific CWA. The U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground's annual S/K Challenge event provides the opportunity to assess the performance and reliability of prospective detection instrumentation being developed by researchers worldwide to optimize their performance. To do so, trial testing of CWA simulants in both indoor and outdoor environments was performed, mimicking past attack scenarios. Membrane Inlet Mass Spectrometric (MIMS) technology on a portable system was successful in performing a rapid analysis along with identification of each CWA simulant utilized during the trials. The MIMS system can detect and quantify low-mass permeable compounds with parts-per-trillion limits of detection. This allows for analysis to be achieved within seconds after the initial exposure time, which is significantly faster than the FTIR and LCD systems currently used. [Display omitted] •Portable membrane inlet mass spectrometric technology for the detection and analysis of chemical warfare agent simulants.•The instrument's fragmentation abilities assist in structure determination while its analyzer aids in analyte quantitation.•The work showcases the system's portability to emphasize the transition of mass spectrometry from the benchtop to the field.•The sensitivity and response time of the membrane inlet mass spectrometer surpassed those of current defense systems.