CAPILLARY ION ELECTROPHORESIS SCREENING OF NERVE AGENT DEGRADATION PRODUCTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL-SAMPLES USING CONDUCTIVITY DETECTION

A method of detecting signature methylphosphonic acid (MPA) breakdown products of V and G nerve agents in environmental samples was develope d using capillary ion electrophoresis with conductivity detection. The electrolyte (30 mM L-histidine, 30 mM 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid, 0.7 mM tetradecyltrimethylammonium hydroxide, and 0.03 weight% T riton X-100) allowed baseline separation of MPA, ethyl methylphosphoni c acid (EMPA), isopropyl methylphosphonic acid (IMPA), and pinacolyl m ethylphosphonic acid (PMPA) in less than 10 min. Detector response was linear in the 6-60 mu g/ml concentration range (correlation coefficie nt=0.99) with a detection limit around 6 mu g/ml. The application of t his method for screening MPA, EMPA, IMPA, and PMPA in surface water, g roundwater, and soil extracts is demonstrated. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scien ce B.V. All rights reserved.