Capillary column gas chromatography—mass spectrometry and gas chromatography—tandem mass spectrometry detection of chemical warfare agents in a complex airborne matrix

Abstract

The chemical warfare agents sarin, soman and mustard were detected and confirmed during full-scanning gas chromatography (GC)—mass spectrometry (MS) at the nanogram level in spiked extracts of a diesel exhaust environment sampled onto the charcoal of a Canadian C2 respirator canister. This matrix, typical of what might be expected under battlefield conditions, was used for the development of a GCMSMS method for the verification of trace levels of sarin, soman and mustard. Chemical interferences associated with this complex sample were virtually eliminated and low-picogram GCMSMS detection limits were estimated for these chemical warfare agents in the presence of numerous interfering diesel exhaust and charcoal bed components.