CHART: a novel system for detector evaluation against toxic chemical aerosols

Area of Science:

• Chemical Warfare Agents
• Aerosol Science
• Detection Technology

Background:

• Growing concern exists regarding the deliberate dispersion of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and toxic pharmaceutical agents as persistent aerosols.
• There is a critical need to assess the effectiveness of current and future defensive capabilities for military and law enforcement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design, realize, and validate a safe experimental setup for evaluating chemical detection and identification equipment.
• To provide a tool for performance assessment against CWAs and other highly toxic compounds in aerosolized form.

Main Methods:

• The Chemical Hot Aerosol Research Tool (CHART) disperses liquid and solid compounds as aerosols within a nebulization chamber.
• A broad dynamic particle size range is generated, including respirable particles.
• Aerosol characterization is performed in real-time using an optical particle counter and time-of-flight aerosol analyzer, with ex situ chemical analysis.

Main Results:

• The CHART system successfully generates aerosols of toxic compounds with a wide range of particle sizes.
• Real-time monitoring and characterization of aerosols were achieved.
• Laboratory safety and containment protocols were emphasized and validated.

Conclusions:

• The CHART is a validated and safe experimental tool for evaluating chemical detection and identification equipment.
• It is indispensable for studying detector performance against toxic chemical aerosols.
• The system supports the assessment of defensive capabilities against chemical threats.