Chemical hazardous substances can be released intentionally and as well by accident - for example during transport - and become a threat to the population, to the task forces during the rescue operation or to the environment. In particular, gaseous substances require a quick response on site, as they spread rapidly through the air and thus may become a particular threat to population and task forces. It is crucial that there is prompt immediate information on the pollutant and its spread to take action quickly.
The research project promises a quick on-site analysis of toxic industrial chemicals and chemical warfare agents. A hand-held measurement system that can detect and identify such hazardous substances is to be developed. Further requirements are a simple operation of the device and a secure interpretation of the results. The new system is to enrich the gas samples in automatic routines and pre-separate these thanks to special procedures into their individual components (chromatography).
The detection is to take place after enrichment and gas chromatographic separation of hazardous materials through various sensors. The combination of special sensors and detectors benefits a complete and accurate analysis. An example is the applied ion mobility spectrometer, which is able to recognize and analyze chemical compounds in the air. The evaluation of the results is planned online using statistical methods. New are the manner of rapid sample preparation and the direct analysis, which constitutes the device as a near-universal hazardous material detector.
Project Executing Organisation: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)
Term: Jan. 2008 - Dec. 2011
Project Executing Organisation: Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe (BBK)
Term: Okt. 2012 - Okt. 2014
