Research Highlights

Technology Performance Summary: Safety Solutions HazMat Smart-Strip^® 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: Safety Solutions Hazmat Smart-Strip®

Sample Types Evaluated for Indication of:

• Sarin in vapor
• Nerve agents sarin and VX in liquid

Conclusions:
The Hazmat Smart-Strip^® did not reliably detect the presence of sarin in vapor or liquid.
It also did not reliably detect the presence of VX in liquid.

Technology Description and Requirements: Chemical reagent/color-indicating paper. The Smart-Strip^® is a card that may be attached to a surface, such as a person’s clothing, by means of its adhesive backing. The front surface of the card has eight squares of colorimetric reagents that produce qualitative indications of the presence of several contaminants, including chlorine, acids or caustics (pH indication), fluoride, nerve agents, oxidizers, arsenic, hydrogen sulfide, and cyanide. Removal of a protective film exposes the reagent squares and allows any indicating reactions to take place.

Testing Methodology and Results: Vapor Phase Testing – Testing was conducted on one CWA at a time. The tested gases were generated by diluting a commercially obtained compressed gas standard. To evaluate the instrument, a flow of clean air passed through a clean air plenum, and an equal flow of air containing the tested gas passed through another plenum: the challenge plenum. The instrument was connected to a 4-way valve through which clean air, or the tested gas, flowed before being vented into a chemical laboratory hood. The instrument was first exposed to the clean air flow. After this, the 4-way valve was switched to the challenge plenum to deliver the tested CWA gas. The sequence of exposure to clean air, followed by exposure to the CWA gas, was carried out three times in succession for the instrument. This sequence was followed for each CWA and each test condition identified in Table 1. For this evaluation hydrocarbon mixture interferent was added to the blank and to the CWA gas at a ratio of 1:100 interferent mix to air flow.

Liquid Sample Testing – Stock solutions of sarin, sulfur mustard, and VX were diluted in isopropyl alcohol (IPA) or deionized (DI) water to make the samples. The detection device was tested with three blank samples of the solvent used (IPA or DI water), and three samples of the test solution containing the CWA. If the instrument detected the CWA in at least one of the three tests with pure solvent, then the challenge was repeated with a hydrocarbon mixture interferent (1% of the total volume) added to both the blank and the CWA samples. Table 1 lists the CWAs tested, the concentrations used and the basis for those concentrations. All liquid sample testing was conducted at room temperature with 50% relative humidity. Testing of the 3-way paper involved applying a drop of the liquid sample to the paper.

Table 1: Summary of Safety Solutions Hazmat Smart-Strip^® 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. DI water or IPA was used as the solvent in the liquid test.
^cAEGL = Acute Exposure Guide Level and RDT&E = Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Standards (Chemical Surety, Chapter 6: Army Regulation 50-6, 26 June 2001).

Contact: Eric Koglin

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