Research Highlights

Technology Performance Summary: Agentase CAD Kit for Chemical Warfare Agents

All Hazards Receipt Facilities (AHRFs) were developed to prescreen for chemical, radiochemical, and explosive hazards in samples collected during suspected terrorist attacks. The technologies used in AHRFs are intended to screen samples prior to a full analysis, helping protect responders, laboratory workers, and others from potential injury.

Evaluations of these technologies are summarized in the technology evaluation report, Testing of Screening Technologies for Detection of Chemical Warfare Agents in All Hazards Receipt Facilities. The chemical warfare agents (CWAs) included in the report were chosen because they might be used during, or develop as a by-product from, a terrorist attack.

The screening technologies are intended:

• To be rapid and qualitative
• To be simple to use and of relatively low cost
• To indicate if samples contain hazardous chemicals of concern.

Not all of the technologies evaluated were deemed suitable for the AHRF, although they might be useful for responders on the scene.

Technology Evaluated: Agentase CAD Kit

Sample Types Evaluated for Indication of: VX (nerve agent) on surface

Conclusions:
The Agentase CAD Kit:

• Reliably detected VX on surfaces (i.e., 100% accuracy).
• Response time was within seconds; color change within seconds.
• Uses a relatively simple procedure.

Technology Description and Requirements: Colorimetric pen. This technology is designed to detect CWAs on surfaces, and consists of a reservoir of reagent within a plastic pen-shaped container having a soft, porous tip. Bending the container breaks the reagent reservoir and soaks the porous tip. The surface to be tested is then wiped with the tip, and appearance of a pink color indicates the presence of VX. Only Agentase pens designed to test for the presence of VX were tested in this project, because the low volatility of VX makes it the most likely agent to be present on a sample entering the AHRF.

Testing Methodology and Results: Glass slides served as the test surfaces. Samples were prepared by spiking 1 mg of neat VX on each glass slide to produce a surface loading of approximately 0.2 mg/cm². Test coupons were spiked in the morning of each test day and used immediately after spiking. Each test used three blank glass coupons and three glass coupons spiked with VX at room temperature and approximately 50% relative humidity. Interference tests were conducted by spiking approximately 1 mg of a hydrocarbon mixture per coupon onto both blank and VX-spiked coupons. The blank and spiked coupon tests were repeated at the same low and high temperature and relative humidity conditions used for the CWA vapor testing (defined in Table 1, footnote b).

Table 1: Summary of Agentase CAD Kit Test Results

^aA hydrocarbon mixture was used as the interferent.
^bTemperature and relative humidity conditions for vapor tests were: Base = 20 °C and 50% relative humidity, Low = 10 °C and 20% relative humidity, and High = 30 °C and 80% relative humidity.
^cLD₅₀ = Lethal dose to half the population.

Contact: Eric Koglin

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