DEVELOPMENT OF A SURFACE-ACOUSTIC-WAVE GAS SENSOR FOR ORGANOSPHOSPHORUS NERVE AGENTS EMPLOYING LANTHANIDE COMPOUNDS AS THE CHEMICAL INTERFACE

The results of a study dealing with surface acoustic wave gas sensors for organophosphorus compounds such as nerve agents are described. Sev eral lanthanum coordination compounds were applied as the chemical int erface. The various sensors prepared were challenged with both the ner ve agent sarin and the simulant dimethyl methylphosphonate. Many aspec ts were studied. such as sensitivity, selectivity. reversibility and r esponse rate as well as the effect of temperature and structural featu res. Detection limits down to 0.1 ppm were found. Response rates requi re further improvement. Degradation phenomena were observed which in s ome cases yielded irreversible responses. The selectivity for organoph osphorus compounds was found to be promising.