Quantitative Analysis of Chemical Warfare Agents by GC/MS Method

Abstract

Analysis of hazardous chemical substances in the Czech Republic is the main task of special chemical laboratories of the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS). The general criteria and requirements for an internal standard that may be used to determine chemical warfare agents (CWAs) using the gas chromatography coupled with mass detection (GC/MS) method were established. The aim of the work was the determination CWAs on all GC/MS systems of FRS, where no CWA standards are available. The determination is based on a GC/MS analysis of a mixture of a CWA with an internal standard, conversion of the total ion current (TIC) chromatogram to extracted-ion chromatogram at a particular m/z ratio, and calculation of the CWA concentration from the internal standard concentration, response factor and chromatographic peak areas. Internal standards for seven organophosphorus nerve-paralyzing agents and four blister agents were identified, and they were verified. The gradients of the linear functions of peak area and compound concentration were used to calculate the corresponding response factors. The measurements' linearity, repeatability, and accuracy were assessed.