Chemical warfare agent detection using MEMS-compatible microsensor arrays

Microsensors have been fabricated consisting of TiO/sub 2/ and SnO/sub 2/ sensing films prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on microelectromechanical systems array platforms. Response measurements from these devices to the chemical warfare (CW) agents GA (tabun), GB (sarin), and HD (sulfur mustard) at concentrations between 5 nmol/mol (ppb) and 200 ppb in dry air, as well as to CW agent simulants CEES (chloroethyl ethyl sulfide) and DFP (diisopropyl fluorophosphate) between 250 and 3000 ppb, are reported. The microsensors exhibit excellent signal-to-noise and reproducibility. The temperature of each sensor element is independently controlled by embedded microheaters that drive both the CVD process (375/spl deg/C) and sensor operation at elevated temperatures (325/spl deg/C-475/spl deg/C). The concentration-dependent analyte response magnitude is sensitive to conditions under which the sensing films are grown. Sensor stability studies confirm little signal degradation during 14 h of operation. Use of pulsed (200 ms) temperature-programmed sensing over a broad temperature range (20/spl deg/C-480/spl deg/C) enhances analyte selectivity, since the resulting signal trace patterns contain primarily kinetic information that is unique for each agent tested.     

Passive standoff detection of chemical warfare agents on surfaces

Results are presented on the passive standoff detection and identification of chemical warfare (CW) liquid agents on surfaces by the Fourier-transform IR radiometry. This study was performed during surface contamination trials at Defence Research and Development Canada-Suffield in September 2002. The goal was to verify that passive long-wave IR spectrometric sensors can potentially remotely detect surfaces contaminated with CW agents. The passive sensor, the Compact Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer, was used in the trial to obtain laboratory and field measurements of CW liquid agents, HD and VX. The agents were applied to high-reflectivity surfaces of aluminum, low-reflectivity surfaces of Mylar, and several other materials including an armored personnel carrier. The field measurements were obtained at a standoff distance of 60 m from the target surfaces. Results indicate that liquid contaminant agents deposited on high-reflectivity surfaces can be detected, identified, and possibly quantified with passive sensors. For low-reflectivity surfaces the presence of the contaminants can usually be detected; however, their identification based on simple correlations with the absorption spectrum of the pure contaminant is not possible.     

Fiber-optic microsphere-based arrays for multiplexed biological warfare agent detection

We report a multiplexed high-density DNA array capable of rapid, sensitive, and reliable identification of potential biological warfare agents. An optical fiber bundle containing 6000 individual 3.1-mum-diameter fibers was chemically etched to yield microwells and used as the substrate for the array. Eighteen different 50-mer single-stranded DNA probes were covalently attached to 3.1-mum microspheres. Probe sequences were designed for Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, Francisella tularensis, Brucella melitensis, Clostridium botulinum, Vaccinia virus, and one biological warfare agent (BWA) simulant, Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki. The microspheres were distributed into the microwells to form a randomized multiplexed high-density DNA array. A detection limit of 10 fM in a 50-microL sample volume was achieved within 30 min of hybridization for B. anthracis, Y. pestis, Vaccinia virus, and B. thuringiensis kurstaki. We used both specific responses of probes upon hybridization to complementary targets as well as response patterns of the multiplexed array to identify BWAs with high accuracy. We demonstrated the application of this multiplexed high-density DNA array for parallel identification of target BWAs in spiked sewage samples after PCR amplification. The array's miniaturized feature size, fabrication flexibility, reusability, and high reproducibility may enable this array platform to be integrated into a highly sensitive, specific, and reliable portable instrument for in situ BWA detection.     

Multiplexed liquid arrays for simultaneous detection of simulants of biological warfare agents

Liquid array-based multiplexed immunoassays designed for rapid, sensitive, specific, and simultaneous detection of multiple simulants of biological warfare agents have been developed. In both blind and standard laboratory trials, we demonstrate the simultaneous detection of four simulant agents from a single sample. The challenge agents comprise broad classes of pathogens (virus, protein toxins, bacterial spores, vegetative cells). Assay performance of each analyte was optimized, and dose-response curves and the limits of detection (LODs) for individual analytes are presented. Assay performance, including dynamic range, sensitivity, and LODs for liquid arrays and enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay were compared and are shown to be similar. Maximum assay sensitivity is obtained in approximately 1 h, and good sensitivity is achieved in as little as 30 min. Although the sample matrixes are very complex, even for highly multiplexed assays the samples do not exhibit evidence of nonspecific binding, demonstrating that the assays also have high specificity.     

Miniaturized low-cost ion mobility spectrometer for fast detection of chemical warfare agents

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is a well-known method for detecting hazardous compounds in air. Typical applications are the detection of chemical warfare agents, highly toxic industrial compounds, explosives, and drugs of abuse. Detection limits in the low part per billion range, fast response times, and simple instrumentation make this technique more and more popular. In particular, there is an increasing demand for miniaturized low-cost IMS for hand-held devices and air monitoring of public areas by sensor networks. In this paper, we present a miniaturized aspiration condenser type ion mobility spectrometer for fast detection of chemical warfare agents. The device is easy to manufacture and allows single substance identification down to low part per billion-level concentrations within seconds. The improved separation power results from ion focusing by means of geometric constraints and fluid dynamics. A simple pattern recognition algorithm is used for the identification of trained substances in air. The device was tested at the German Armed Forces Scientific Institute for Protection Technologies-NBC-Protection. Different chemical warfare agents, such as sarin, tabun, soman, US-VX, sulfur mustard, nitrogen mustard, and lewisite were tested. The results are presented here.     

Ion mobility spectrometry and its applications in detection of chemical warfare agents

When fast detection of chemical warfare agents in the field is required, the ion mobility spectrometer may be the only suitable option. This article provides an essential survey of the different ion mobility spectrometry detection technologies. (To listen to a podcast about this feature, please go to the Analytical Chemistry multimedia page at pubs.acs.org/page/ancham/audio/index.html.).     

Single-particle aerosol mass spectrometry for the detection and identification of chemical warfare agent simulants

Single-particle aerosol mass spectrometry (SPAMS) was used for the real-time detection of liquid nerve agent simulants. A total of 1000 dual-polarity time-of-flight mass spectra were obtained for micrometer-sized single particles each of dimethyl methyl phosphonate, diethyl ethyl phosphonate, diethyl phosphoramidate, and diethyl phthalate using laser fluences between 0.58 and 7.83 nJ/microm2, and mass spectral variation with laser fluence was studied. The mass spectra obtained allowed identification of single particles of the chemical warfare agent (CWA) simulants at each laser fluence used although lower laser fluences allowed more facile identification. SPAMS is presented as a promising real-time detection system for the presence of CWAs.     

Surface plasmon resonance detection of biological warfare agent Staphylococcal enterotoxin B using high affinity monoclonal antibody

A novel sensitive method was developed for the detection as well as quantification of Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) using surface plasmon resonance (SPR). It is well known that the amount of SEB needed to cause the intoxication to human beings is very less and this concentration (0.02 μg/kg) is highly dangerous, hence, it is used as biological warfare agent. Thus, the need to develop a reliable and potential detection system against SEB is warranted. In the present work, SEB antibody was immobilized on carboxymethyldextran modified gold chip. The immobilization of SEB antibody and interaction of antigen with immobilized antibody were in-situ characterized by SPR and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. A sample solution containing SEB antigen was injected in a working channel and the results revealed linearity in the concentration from 2.0 to 32.0 pM with a detection limit of 1.0 pM. By using kinetic evaluation software, K_D (equilibrium constant) and Bmax (maximum binding capacity of analyte) values were calculated and found to be 13 pM and 424.23, respectively. Moreover, the thermodynamic parameter, change in Gibb's free energy was deduced and found to be −62.08 kJ/mol and this value shows the spontaneous interaction between SEB antigen and SEB antibody. In order to optimize the detection method, temperature and pH variation studies were also performed. Interference study was conducted to know the selectivity for the antigen-antibody interaction of SEB. The selectivity efficiency of SEB, SEC, SEA and SED were 100, 27.15, 20.01 and 12.05%, respectively towards SEB antibody.     

A prototype portable instrument employing micro-preconcentrator and FBAR sensor for the detection of chemical warfare agents

The presence of chemical warfare agents(CWAs)in the environment is a serious threat to human safety,but there are many prob-lems with the currently available de...     

网络化水声对抗体系研究

"网络中心战"的概念已经深入军事领域。作为其水下形式,"网络化水声对抗"的研究近年来得到了更多的重视。首先定义了网络化水声对抗的概念和研究范畴,然后综述了此概念主要方面的内容。其中包括水声网络及其在网络化水声对抗中的应用、水声网络安全技术、水声进攻技术及网络化水声对抗器材技术等。这些方面构成了完整的网络化水声对抗体系结构。最后,展望了网络化水声对抗技术的进一步发展,并给出了相关的建议。     

Environmentally acceptable sorbents of chemical warfare agent simulants

Development of environmentally acceptable decontaminants of chemical weapons and other highly toxic chemicals is important because of security, economical, health, political, and environmental reasons. The efficiency of natural zeolite (clinoptilolite) and synthetic zeolite, metal oxides, and their mixtures as chemical and physical sorbents of chemical warfare agents (CWA) was investigated. Commonly studied chemical warfare agent simulants dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) and 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (2-CEES) were included in this study. Organic solutions of DMMP and 2-CEES were passed through a column filled with natural and synthetic zeolites and their mixtures with metal oxides. After passing through the column filled with different sorbents, all eluents were filtered and centrifuged before the gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC–MS) analysis. The efficiency of investigated adsorbents was estimated based on the obtained data. All investigated sorbents exhibited absorption efficiency for both simulants of chemical warfare agents. Infrared spectroscopy was used for the detection of DMMP and 2-CEES adsorbed to the investigated adsorbents. Since GC–MS analysis results indicate very good sorption properties of both simulants, the detection of adsorbed CWA simulants was a matter of routine.     

水声对抗声学仿真系统关键技术

水声对抗声学仿真技术以其对水下作战环境及参战实体主要声学过程的高逼真度模拟,已经成为研究水下武器系统战技术性能、使用策略以及进行试验方案论证的重要技术手段。在对水下作战环境及其声学过程进行深入分析的基础上,提出了水声对抗声学仿真系统中数据交互、信号生成等关键技术的设计方案,给出了主要声学信号的数学模型,并对水声对抗过程进行了仿真。仿真结果表明该方案在保证仿真精度的基础上能显著提高仿真的实时性。     

Chemical warfare and survival strategies in bacterial range expansions

Dispersal of species is a fundamental ecological process in the evolution and maintenance of biodiversity. Limited control over ecological parameters has hindered progress in understanding of what enables species to colonize new areas, as well as the importance of interspecies interactions. Such control is necessary to construct reliable mathematical models of ecosystems. In our work, we studied dispersal in the context of bacterial range expansions and identified the major determinants of species coexistence for a bacterial model system of three Escherichia coli strains (toxin-producing, sensitive and resistant). Genetic engineering allowed us to tune strain growth rates and to design different ecological scenarios (cyclic and hierarchical). We found that coexistence of all strains depended on three strongly interdependent factors: composition of inoculum, relative strain growth rates and effective toxin range. Robust agreement between our experiments and a thoroughly calibrated computational model enabled us to extrapolate these intricate interdependencies in terms of phenomenological biodiversity laws. Our mathematical analysis also suggested that cyclic dominance between strains is not a prerequisite for coexistence in competitive range expansions. Instead, robust three-strain coexistence required a balance between growth rates and either a reduced initial ratio of the toxin-producing strain, or a sufficiently short toxin range.     

水声对抗系统中声诱饵仿真研究

声诱饵作为一种软对抗的水中兵器，其性能和使用方法对最终的对抗效果有着重要的影响。文章对声诱饵进行了声学性能和使用方法的仿真研究，并结合具体的仿真系统给出了一些仿真结论，对型号的研制和武器的使用具有一定的参考价值。     

Oxidative decontamination of chemical and biological warfare agents using L-Gel

A decontamination method has been developed using a single reagent that is effective both against chemical warfare (CW) and biological warfare (BW) agents. The new reagent, "L-Gel", consists of an aqueous solution of a mild commercial oxidizer, Oxone, together with a commercial fumed silica gelling agent, Cab-O-Sil EH-5. L-Gel is non-toxic, environmentally friendly, relatively non-corrosive, maximizes contact time because of its thixotropic nature, clings to walls and ceilings, and does not harm carpets or painted surfaces. The new reagent also addresses the most demanding requirements for decontamination in the civilian sector, including availability, low maintenance, ease of application and deployment by a variety of dispersal mechanisms, minimal training and acceptable expense. Experiments to test the effectiveness of L-Gel were conducted at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and independently at four other locations. L-Gel was tested against all classes of chemical warfare agents and against various biological warfare agent surrogates, including spore-forming bacteria and non-virulent strains of real biological agents. Testing showed that L-Gel is as effective against chemical agents and biological materials, including spores, as the best military decontaminants.     

基于Agent的水声对抗仿真系统建模与仿真分析

分析了水声对抗仿真系统的组成和特点,基于Agent方法进行了水声对抗仿真建模,建立了Agent实体的功能层、信息层和认知层的模型结构,给出了基于Agent的系统结构和个体Agent的建模过程,从一个新的视点上研究了水声对抗分布仿真系统,最后总结了这种仿真体系的特点和长处。     

PBT screening profile of chemical warfare agents (CWAs)

Chemical warfare agents (CWAs) have been used and disposed of in various fashions over the past decades. Significant amounts have been dumped in the Baltic Sea following the disarmament of Germany after World War II causing environmental concerns. There is a data gap pertaining to chemical warfare agents, environmental properties not the least their aquatic toxicities. Given this gap and the security limitations relating to working with these agents we applied Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship ((Q)SAR) models in accordance with the European Technical Guidance Document (2003) to 22 parent CWA compounds and 27 known hydrolysis products. It was concluded that conservative use of EPI Suite (Q)SAR models can generate reliable and conservative estimations of chemical warfare agents acute aquatic toxicity. From an environmental screening point of view the organoarsenic chemical warfare agents Clark I and Adamsite comprise the most problematic of the screened CWA compounds warranting further investigation in relation to a site specific environmental risk assessment. The mustard gas agents (sulphur and nitrogen) and the organophosphorous CWAs (in particular Sarin and Soman) are a secondary category of concern based upon their toxicity alone. The undertaken approach generates reliable and conservative estimations for most of the studied chemicals but with some exceptions (e.g. the organophosphates).     

Degradation of chemical warfare agent simulants using gas-liquid pulsed streamer discharges

This study determines the effectiveness of pulsed streamer discharges (PSD), a type of advanced oxidation technology (AOT) to clean water contaminated with chemical agents. For the purpose of this study, experiments were conducted with G and H agent simulants to determine the degradation kinetics and to determine the effects of various electrical and chemical parameters in the degradation of these contaminants. The energy efficiency of contaminant degradation shows that pulsed streamer discharges can be an efficient technology in treating water contaminated with chemical agents. The maximum energy yields of degradation of H and G agent simulants by the pulsed corona discharges are 0.029 and 0.008 molecules/100 eV, respectively, in the series configuration with ferrous sulfate salt in solution.