NCJ Number
192339
Date Published
1999
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This report summarized the results of testing done on commercially available detectors of chemical warfare agents.
Abstract
The report describes test procedures and results, and concludes by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each detector to assist emergency response organizations and other agencies in coping with chemical warfare and other hazards. The types of detectors used were photoionization, flame ionization, and colorimetric detector tubes, all of which were tested under similar conditions. The study found that the ultraviolet lamps used in photoionization detectors were impractical since they needed constant cleaning; furthermore, there was no guarantee that chemical agents would stay the same. There were many disadvantages to the flame ionization detector as well and its response time was slow. Moreover, when chemical agents were mixed with other substances, their overall performance decreased. Overall, the results concluded that neither of these detectors was very effective. The study found that the Draeger tubes were the most consistent in performance, even when other substances were involved. It noted, however, that the drawback to this detector was that the concentration level had to be monitored closely to determine how much protective gear was needed. 6 Tables