Use of Solid-Phase Extraction in Determination of Chemical Warfare Agents

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Abstract
The chemical warfare agents Tabun, Sarin, Soman, VX and mustard gas and the Sarin impurity diispropyl methylphosphonate have been isolated from different samples from a battlefield environment. 50 ml of water, 2 g of grass, soil, sand, paper, neoprene or butyl rubber or 1 g of silicone, a polyurethane foam with activated charcoal or a polyester/cotton fabric were spiked with either 1 mg and 1 μg of the various compounds. The samples were extracted with water, and the aqueous solution passed through cartridges filled with C18 sorbent. The compounds were then eluted with chloroform and quantitatively analyzed by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector. The highest yields of the investigated compounds were obtained from water, sand and paper and the lowest from grass, butyl rubber and polyurethane foam with activated charcoal.