The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) continues to constitute a serious threat to the security of the United States. Early detection and warning of the use of WMD on the battlefield is a top priority of the Department of Defense. Likewise, the identification and characterization of WMD facilities and capabilities worldwide comprise critical elements of the United states endeavors to counter their proliferation. These national security thrusts, both battlefield defense and intelligence gathering, require the detection of chemical and biological agents, as well as precursors and by-products in their production. Also, other health related issues arising from the Persian Gulf War Underscore the need to detect and identify other hazardous and toxic materials in the theatre. Technispan LLC, in alliance with Texas Christian University and SRI, International, is developing ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) in combination with gas chromatography (GC-IMS) to address this application. GC-IMS should provide an improved detection capability over current stand alone devices that are susceptible to disabling interferences in certain scenarios. During Phase I, the theoretical issues associated with reducing the size, weight and power of a GC -IMS, without compromising performance, were investigated. During Phase II, a miniaturized GC-IMS will be designed, fabricated and tested following the recommendations of Phase I.
