DETECTION MONITORING AND ALARM

THIS PROPOSAL CONCERNS THE DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND TEST OF A NEW INSTRUMENT FOR THE POINT DETECTION, MONITORING AND ALARM OF CHEMICAL AGENTS UNDER BATTLEFIELD CONDITIONS. THIS NEW INSTRUMENT IS THE TRANDEM ION MOBILITY SPECTROMETER WHICH IS A DUAL MOBILITY SPECTROMETER. THE CONVENTIONAL IMS IS AT PRESENT UNDER DEVELOPMENT BY THE DOD THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ABILITY OF ION MOBILITY INSTRUMENTATION TO DISTINGUISH CHEMICAL AGEN MATERIALS FROM OTHER NON-AGENT MATERIALS. AT PARTS-PER-BILLION CONCENTRATION LEVELS IN AIR. THIS REDUCTION IN INTERFERENCE UNDER BATTLEFIELD CONDITIONS WILL ARISE FROM AN IMPROVEMENT IN RESOLUTION AND SELECTIVE AND TARGETED CHARGING OF THE AGENT CHEMICALS . IN PHASE I THE TIMS INSTRUMENT IS TO BE DESIGNED, BUILT AND TESTED USING SELECTED REAGENTS AND SIMULANTS FOR CHEMICAL AGENTS. CHEMICAL AGENTS ARE ELECTRICALLY CHARGED BY THE ION- MOLECULE REACTION PROCESS USING IONIZATION POTENTIAL,PROTON (OR ELECTRON) AFFINITY AND ADDUCT ION FORMATION SELECTIVITY. THE TIMS RESEARCH INSTRUMENT IS COUPLED TO AN EXISTING QUADRUPOLE MASS SPECTROMETER TO OBTAIN MASS IDENTIFIED ION INFORMATION.