Differentiating between V‐ and G‐series nerve agent and simulant vapours using fluorescent film responses

Fan, S., Loch, A. S. , Vongsanga, K., Dennison, G. H., Burn, P., Gentle, I. R. and Shaw, P. E. (2024) Differentiating between V‐ and G‐series nerve agent and simulant vapours using fluorescent film responses. Small Methods, 8(1), 2301048. (doi: 10.1002/smtd.202301048) (PMID:37932024)

Abstract

In-field rapid and reliable identification of nerve agents is critical for the protection of Defence and National Security personnel as well as communities. Fluorescence-based detectors can be portable and provide rapid detection of chemical threats. However, most current approaches cannot differentiate between dilute vapors of nerve agent classes and are susceptible to false positives due to the presence of common acids. Here a fluorescence-based method is shown for rapid differentiation between the V-series and phosphonofluoridate G-series nerve agents and avoids false positives due to common acids. Differentiation is achieved through harnessing two different mechanisms. Detection of the V-series is achieved using photoinduced hole transfer whereby the fluorescence of the sensing material is quenched in the presence of the V-series agent. The G-series is detected using a turn-on mechanism in which a silylated excited state intramolecular proton transfer sensing molecule is selectively deprotected by hydrogen fluoride, which is typically found as a contaminant and/or breakdown product in G-series agents such as sarin. The strategy provided discrimination between classes, as the sensor for the G-series agent class is insensitive to the V-series agent, and vice versa, and neither responded to common acids.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: P.L.B. is a UQ Laureate Fellow. This research was supported by funding from the Australian Research Council under the Discovery Program (DP170102072). Open access publishing facilitated by The University of Queensland, as part of the Wiley - The University of Queensland agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Loch, Dr Alex
• Authors: Fan, S., Loch, A. S., Vongsanga, K., Dennison, G. H., Burn, P., Gentle, I. R., and Shaw, P. E.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Chemistry
• Journal Name: Small Methods
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 2366-9608
• ISSN (Online): 2366-9608
• Published Online: 06 November 2023
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2023 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Small Methods 8:2301048
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons license