Analysis of Aqueous Field Samples for Mustard Degradation Products: A joint CA/US TTCP E-AG-42 Analytical Exercise

摘要

CA and US participated in a joint TTCP E-AG-42 analytical exercise involving the analysis of aqueous field samples for the presence of mustard degradation products. The laboratories reported consistent results that clearly indicated the prior presence of mustard in a destruction site more than twenty years after the fact. Both laboratories used mass spectrometry for confirmation of the hydrolysis product of mustard, thiodiglycol. The US confirmed thiodiglycol as its bis(TMS) derivative during GC-MS and CA as the intact compound during GC-MS and LC-ESI-MS analysis. In addition both laboratories reported the presence of 1,4-thioxane and 1,4-dithiane, two compounds commonly associated with the degradation of mustard. CA also detected 6-oxa-3,9-dithia-1, 11-undecanediol, the hydrolysis product of the longer chain sulfur vesicant, bis(2-CHLOROETHYLTHIO)ETHYL ether (T) during LC-ESI-MS analysis.