{
  "abstract": "Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is widely used for on-site detection of chemical warfare agents due to its high sensitivity and rapid response times. While volatile G-series nerve agents can be detected directly in the gas phase, detection of low-volatility agents such as VX or A-series nerve agents (Novichoks) is considerably more challenging. For VX, indirect detection is often achieved through the volatile hydrolysis product VX-thiol, which can dominate the vapor phase above VX samples. Whether comparable volatile marker compounds exist for A-series agents has remained largely unexplored. In this study, the vapor-phase composition above small droplets of the Novichok agents A-230, A-232, and A-234 was investigated under controlled humidity conditions using IMS. Reference spectra of potential marker compounds, including N,N-diethylacetamidine and N,N-diethylacetamide, were recorded to support signal assignment. For VX, increasing humidity resulted in an increased VX-thiol response, consistent with enhanced hydrolytic formation of this volatile marker. In contrast, the expected amidine marker showed only very limited vapor-phase availability for the investigated A-series agents. Weak N,N-diethylacetamidine signals were detected for A-230 and A-232 at an elevated humidity level of 80% RH, whereas no corresponding signal was observed for A-234. N,N-Diethylacetamide was consistently detected shortly after introduction of the respective A-series samples. Pre-experimental GC-MS analysis showed that this latter compound was already present in the agent stocks, whereas N,N-diethylacetamidine remained undetected in stock samples. The initial amide signal therefore most likely reflects a preexisting volatile constituent associated with synthesis and/or storage rather than formation during the IMS experiment. Overall, the results indicate that a hydrolysis-based marker strategy analogous to VX-thiol is considerably less effective for A-230, A-232, and A-234 under the investigated conditions. No comparably robust hydrolysis-derived volatile marker was identified for the A-series agents, while preexisting volatile constituents may influence rapid gas-phase screening. The findings highlight both the potential and the limitations of extending existing IMS-based gas monitoring approaches to low-volatility nerve agents.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Bundeswehr Research Institute for Protective Technologies and CBRN Protection , Humboldtstraße 100, Munster29633, Germany.",
    "Leibniz University Hannover , Institute of Electrical Engineering and Measurement Technology, Appelstraße 9a, Hannover30167, Germany."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 5,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Maria Allers",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8935-2739"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "André Ahrens",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-4753-4483"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Moritz Hitzemann",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8950-8788"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Stefan Zimmermann",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1725-6657"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Arne Ficks",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4819-0048"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2pndgghernkz7.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1021/acs.analchem.6c04890",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13647985",
  "id": "2pndgghernkz7",
  "issns": [
    "0003-2700",
    "1520-6882"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42915677",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1607|Mass Spectrometry Techniques and Applications"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7213608395",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13647985?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13647985",
  "pmid": "42915677",
  "published": "2026-10-01",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2pndgghernkz7.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:36Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42915677",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42915677"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1607|Mass Spectrometry Techniques and Applications",
      "subfield": "physical"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Indirect Detection of Novichok Nerve Agents A-230, A-232, and A-234 by Ion Mobility Spectrometry: Limitations of Hydrolysis-Based Marker Strategies.",
  "title_text": "Indirect Detection of Novichok Nerve Agents A-230, A-232, and A-234 by Ion Mobility Spectrometry: Limitations of Hydrolysis-Based Marker Strategies.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:20:36Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2pndgghernkz7",
  "venue": "Analytical chemistry",
  "versions": []
}