• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.3547-3552
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• 2014

Laser Raman spectroscopy is one of the most powerful technologies for standoff detection of hazardous materials including explosives. Supported by recent development of laser and sensitive ICCD camera, the technology can identify trace amount of unknown substances in a distance. Using this concept, we built a standoff detection system, in which nanosecond pulse laser and nanosecond gating ICCD technique were delicately devised to avoid the large background noise which suppressed weak Raman signals from the target sample. In standoff detection of explosives which have large kill radius, one of the most important technical issues is the detection distance from the target. Hence, we focused to increase the detection distance up to 54 m by careful optimization of optics and laser settings. The Raman spectra of hazardous materials observed at the distance of 54 m were fully identifiable. We succeeded to detect and identify eleven hazardous materials of liquid or solid particles, which were either explosives or chemical substances used frequently in chemical plants. We also performed experiments to establish the limit of detection (LOD) of HMX at 10 m, which was estimated to be 6 mg.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.129-134
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• 2014

We have developed a cost-effective and facile method to manufacture a pouch-type chemical vapor sampler. Originally, the sampler was developed by U. S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development, and Engineering Center(NSRDEC) to determine the protective capability of individual protective ensembles or Man-in-Simulant Test (MIST). They used a selectively permeable high density polyethylene(HDPE) as front membrane and aluminum/ Nylon barrier film as an impermeable back sheet in order to mimic the actual adsorption process that occurs when the skin is exposed to chemical weapons. However, it costs over twenty dollars per sampler and the minimum of quantity is 2500 per order. In addition, it is inconvenient to employ a variety of adsorbents into the sampler, which could prevent MIST researchers to do various tests for development of MIST methodologies. Here, we report the simple method to manufacture the sampler in a laboratory scale. All the materials we used are easily obtainable and inexpensive. In addition, all the procedures we perform are generally known. We used methyl salicylate(MeS) vapor to be adsorbed into the sampler and employed several different adsorbents to evaluate the performance of samplers. The results obtained by home-made samplers and commercially avaliable one showed no significant differences. Also, MeS vapor was selectively adsorbed into the sampler depending on adsorbents. We conclude that home-made samplers are capable of collecting any kind of chemical vapor for a variety of purposes.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.828-835
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• 2014

GC-TSQ CI technique was applied for analysis of samples for the $32^{nd}$ OPCW proficiency test. Eight chemical weapon convention(CWC) related chemicals were identified by product ion mode analysis with GC-TSQ in the samples. Choice of specific precursor ion made it possible to supply selective total ion chromatograms(TICs) of target molecule. GC-TSQ CI anaylsis technique was useful method for chemical warfare agent verification because analysis selectivity was improved by choice of mother molecule as precursor ion and gave mass spectra.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.2635-2639
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• 2013

The rapid and accurate identification of biological agents is a critical step in the case of bio-terror and biological warfare attacks. Recently, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry has been widely used for the identification of microorganisms. In this study, we describe a method for the rapid and accurate discrimination of Bacillus anthracis spores using MALDI-TOF MS. Our direct in-situ analysis of MALDI-TOF MS does not involve subsequent high-resolution mass analyses and sample preparation steps. This method allowed the detection of species-specific biomarkers from each Bacillus spores. Especially, B. anthracis spores had specific biomarker peaks at 2503, 3089, 3376, 6684, 6698, 6753, and 6840 m/z. Cluster and PCA analyses of the mass spectra of Bacillus spores revealed distinctively separated clusters and within-groups similarity. Therefore, we believe that this method is effective in the real-time identification of biological warfare agents such as B. anthracis as well as other microorganisms in the field.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.1668-1672
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• 2013

We developed a standoff Raman detection system for explosive molecules (EMs). Our system was composed of reflective telescope with 310 mm diameter lens, 532 nm pulse laser, and Intensified Charge-Coupled Device (ICCD) camera. In order to remove huge background noise coming from ambient light, laser pulses with nanosecond time width were fired to target sample and ICCD was gated to open only during the time when the scattered Raman signal from the sample arrived at ICCD camera. We performed standoff experiments with military EMs by putting the detector at 10, 20 and 30 m away from the source. The standoff results were compared with the confocal Raman results. Based on our standoff experiments, we were able to observe the peaks in the range of 1200 and $1600cm^{-1}$, where vibrational modes of nitro groups were appeared. The wave numbers and shapes of these peaks may serve as good references in detecting and identifying various EMs.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.122-128
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• 2014

Remote fourier transform infrared(FTIR) chemical imaging detection system allows detection and identification of gases in the atmosphere from long distances. In this paper, the appropriate field of view(FOV) of the FTIR imaging system was examined and the main performance of the system for the interferometer was described. For the determination of the FOV, simulations of gas dispersion range were performed with the NBC reporting and modeling software(NBC-RAMS) developed by ADD. As a result, minimum 192 mrad of FOV was required for the remote FTIR imaging system to visualize chemical warfare agents dispersed in several hundred meters. At the same time, 0.75 mrad of instantaneous field of view(IFOV) for a linear interferometer proper to take a FOV for the chemical agent imaging.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.135-140
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• 2019

Upon chemical agent release, it is of importance to study the characteristic persistence and evaporation of chemical agents from surfaces for the prediction of dispersion hazard. We have recently developed a fast and near real-time wind tunnel system proving the controlled environment(air flow, temperature, and humidity), continuously collects agent vapor and analyzes it. A thermal sorber/desorber is unnecessary to collect the vapor in the system we have developed. Instead, a tandem thermal sorber collects the vapor, which is then directly transferred to a fast gas chromatography(GC) for analysis. As a proof of concept, the evaporation of sulfur mustard agent(HD) was studied from glass, sand and concrete. The results were in an excellent agreement with those obtained from the conventional wind tunnel system.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.291-297
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• 2007

The hydrolysis reaction of sulfur mustard(HD, bis 2-chloroethylsulfide), one type of the blister agents was studied in water to find the operation conditions which can convert HD into less toxic compounds. The reaction was proceeded into two steps. First, 10~20 wt% of HD was hydrolyzed in water at $90^{\circ}C$ for 2 hr and aqueous sodium hydroxide solution(2.1 eq) was subsequently added to the reaction mixture at room temperature. The efficiency of HD hydrolysis at this experimental conditions was greater than 99.99% and the final degradation products of HD were 68 wt% of thiodiglycol, 8 wt% of 1,2-bis(2-hydroxyethylthio)ethane and 24 wt% of bis(2-hydroxyethylthioethyl)ether.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.70-71
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• 1990

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.404-406
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• 1989