Old russian high-explosive aerobomb
Source: Fotolia.de/sdubrov
The detection of nerve agent simulants and the organophosphate chemical warfare agents Sarin, Soman, and Tabun in aqueous environments is described using a novel mesoporous silica material. The detection principle is based on a dye that reacts with the respective agent. Because the sensitivity of the free dye in aqueous solution is very low only the immobilization of the dye into the silica substrates enables a sufficiently sensitive determination of the investigated nerve agent simulants. The signaling mode is a strong quenching of the fluorescence, reaching detection limits in the pico molar range. An optimization process singled out the performing material from a library of hybrid silicas varying in morphology and surface functionalization. The response to actual warfare agents such as Sarin, Soman, and Tabun was also tested and resulted in similar behavior as for the simulants. Finally, the determination of nerve agent simulants in several respectively spiked natural waters was demonstrated.
Determination of the chemical warfare agents Sarin, Soman and Tabun in natural waters employing fluorescent hybrid silica materialss
Estela Climent, Mustafa Biyikal, Kornelia Gawlitza, T. Dropa, M. Urban, A. M. Costero, R. Martínez-Máñez, Knut Rurack
Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, Volume 246, July 2017, Pages 1056-1065
BAM Department Analytical Chemistry; Reference Materials, Division Chemical and Optical Sensing