Development of a new method for the identification of degradation products of V-type nerve agents by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Degradation products of V-type nerve agents are important markers of these toxic chemical warfare agents; hence their detection and identification are of high importance from verification point of view of Chemical Weapons Convention. The new analytical technique using quantitation-enhanced data-dependent (QED) method has been developed for the analysis of the degradation products, 2-(N,N-dialkylamino)ethanesulfonic acids of V-type nerve agents, by using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (Thermo-Scientific Vantage triple stage quadrupole mass spectrometer, Thermo Finnigan Surveyor, San Jose, CA, USA) via an atmospheric pressure ionization source/interface operated in eletrospray ionization mode. With a single analytical run, we could perform the quantitative analysis of the 2-(N,N-dialkylamino)ethanesulfonic acids by the selected reaction monitoring scan mode with limit of detection at 0.1 ng/mL and identify their isomeric compounds by product ion scan mode, simultaneously. The QED method will be applicable to the trace analysis of degradation products of V-type nerve agents in the environmental matrices in the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons proficiency test.