Low-Level Analytical Methodology Updates to Support Decontaminant Performance Evaluations

Abstract : Project CA06DEC407 was a DTRA-funded effort designed to address the challenges associated with quantifying low-level residual agent to support decontaminant contact- and vapor-test evaluations. The program had three main objectives that were successfully accomplished. The primary program objective was to develop improved analytical methods for the confident detection of low levels of agents VX, HD, and GD at published requirement levels. The lowest requirements used at the time of this program to establish the required detection limits were the JPID program 2003 and the JSSED program 2005 requirement documents. An analytical method is an electronic file containing the settings the analytical equipment uses during operation. These settings are optimized for the specific objective (i.e., low-level VX). Six methods were developed to address , low-level VX, HD, and GD analysis for extract sample and vapor sorbent tube analysis. The second program objective was to establish methods for the detection of common agent byproducts that could form during testing. Several methods were developed to address the common VX, HD, and GD decontaminant reaction byproducts. The third program objective was to make the new methods available to establish uniformity in procedures across testing locations. The project produced 15 methods that are documented in an appendix.