Use of a Handheld Raman Spectrometer for Identification of Toxic Agents in Clandestine Laboratories

Handheld Raman spectrometers are commonly used as fast detectors for preliminary noncontact analysis of a number of chemicals. The article deals with their possible use for military identification of chemical warfare agents and their precursors. Spectra of 29 chemical substances were recorded. Based on the similarity of the spectra in the library, the device was able to automatically detect 20 substances in all measurement methods, 1 substance only in the most transparent containers. By means of external software and the creation of a user’s library, the vibrations of functional groups in the respective molecules were assigned to the individual Raman bands, thereby creating a database that enables the identification of toxic substances.