Field-Deployable Monitor for Chemical Warfare Agents
DOD-Army (Marines) Phase II Contract M67854-04-C-3104
This Small Business Innovation Research project addresses development of a field-deployable monitor for detecting chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and toxic industrial chemicals (TICs) by their infrared spectrochemical signature. Phase I studies demonstrated feasibility of a low power, small size, and ultrasensitive chemical sensor for monitoring the presence of chemical warfare agents. Successful completion of Phase II will result in a field-deployable monitor for reliably detecting the presence of a variety of CWAs and TICs in a “real-world” environment. Technical objectives for Phase II will focus on development and production a novel chemical sensor with several advantageous properties. The overall technical approach will exploit the highly selective and chemically specific nature of mid-IR spectroscopy (400-4000 cm-1) to monitor CWAs and TICs.in air at levels far below the IDLH. Rationally selected thin films will be used to produce very high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) measurement that allows CWA and TIC detection ppb levels for below. The sensor components, including emitter, detector, films and housings, will be integrated into a small, low power sensor package compatible with a personal monitoring application as worn on clothing or personal protective equipment (PPE). The final prototype package will datalog several environmental variables, CWA/TIC type and concentration and sensor status for subsequent downloading.
The development of a small, low power, sensitive, and selective instrument for detecting chemical warfare agents will dramatically impact both military and commercial sectors. Specific applications include (1) chemical defense systems for military personnel, (2) environmental monitors for remediation, demilitarization, and safe storage and maintenance of chemical weapons, and (3) point source leak detectors for emergency response personnel and preventive homeland defense measures.