Citation

Timperley CM, Forman JE, Abdollahi M, Al-Amri AS, Alonso IP, Baulig A, Borrett V, Cariño FA, Curty C, Berrutti DG, Kovarik Z, Martínez-Álvarez R, Mikulak R, Mourão NMF, Ponnadurai R, Neffe S, Raza SK, Rubaylo V, Takeuchi K, Tang C, Trifirò F, van Straten FM, Vanninen PS, Zaitsev V, Waqar F, Zina MS, Blum MM, Gregg H, Fischer E, Sun S, Yang P. Talanta 2018; 188: 808-832.

Affiliation

OPCW Headquarters, The Hague, The Netherlands.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.talanta.2018.04.022

PMID

30029449

Abstract

The Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has provided advice on the long-term storage and stability of samples collected in the context of chemical weapons investigations. The information they compiled and reviewed is beneficial to all laboratories that carry out analysis of samples related to chemical warfare agents and is described herein. The preparation of this report was undertaken on request from the OPCW Director-General. The main degradation products for chemicals on the Schedules in the Annex on Chemicals of the Chemical Weapons Convention are tabulated. The expertise of the 25 scientists comprising the SAB, a review of the scientific literature on environmental and biomedical sample analysis, and answers to a questionnaire from chemists of nine OPCW Designated Laboratories, were drawn upon to provide the advice. Ten recommendations to ensure the long-term storage and stability of samples collected in relation to the potential use of chemical weapons were provided and are repeated here for the consideration of all laboratories worldwide.

Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Chemical forensics; Chemical warfare agent; OPCW scientific advisory board; Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW); Scheduled chemical; Stability