Chapter 11D Analysis of chemicals related to the chemical weapons convention

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the analysis of chemicals related to the chemical weapons convention. Chemical weapons were first used on a large scale in World War I. The convention includes provisions for on-site inspections under which samples may be collected for analysis for the presence or absence of chemicals relevant to the convention. Whenever possible, the analysis shall be performed on site. If necessary, samples may be transported for analysis to laboratories designated by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). To be designated by the OPCW, the laboratories must be accredited by an internationally recognized accreditation body and have a quality system. Verification of chemical weapons requires that any chemical reported shall be unambiguously identified, which is achieved according to the OPCW rules when two analytical, preferably different spectrometric techniques give consistent results. The analysis techniques and procedures for verification are developed in the off-site laboratories. In the official inter-laboratory proficiency tests, the aim is selection of the designated laboratories. Altogether 34 laboratories from 30 countries have participated in these tests. At the end of 1998, the OPCW designated the first seven laboratories, which have fulfilled the designation criteria.