General Description
M8 chemical detection papers were originally developed for the military to detect liquid nerve and blister agents. M8 paper is a chemically-treated, dye-impregnated paper used to detect liquid substances for the presence of V- and G-type nerve agents and H- and L-type blister agents.
Technical Description
M8 paper is a chemically-treated, dye-impregnated paper used to detect liquid substances for the presence of V- and G-type nerve agents and H- and L-type blister agents. These papers contain three soluble dyes integrated into cellulose fiber strips. Each dye only reacts with one of the agents, producing a particular color within about 30 seconds. The paper is only sensitive to liquids, not vapors. Exposure to a blister agent turns the paper red, G-type nerve agents turn the paper yellow, and V-type nerve agents turn the paper dark green. Agents do not react directly with the dyes in M8 paper, but rather, dyes react to the unique acidity of each of the agents to produce the color change in a manner similar to litmus paper.
Evaluation Criteria
THROUGHPUT:
- Detection is instantaneous
- 1 sample, single test/ sample per run
- Less than 32 samples every 2 hour
- The system or approach is not amenable to full or semiautomation
- Device or system is designed for a single use
- 0-1 solutions, buffer, eluents, and/or reagents
- 0 components
- No set-up of the system is required
- Automatic detection
LOGISTICS:
- Very brief (minutes-hours) training and minimal technical skills
- Approximately the size of a soda can
- Less than 1 kg
- This system is not capable of transmitting data
- There is no electrical requirement
OPERATIONS:
- Can be used from < -21°C to > 42°C (All temperatures)
- This system does not require consumable components
- Performance is not influenced by relative humidity
- Greater than 3 years shelf life
- Results can be viewed in real-time
- The system is not capable of autonomy
- The system does not employ any software
DETECTION:
- Not possible for the system to achieve 510K clearance
- Not possible for the system to achieve FDA approval
- Less than 50 µl
- Poor specificity. System has a consistently high level of false alarms (>10%)
- 1 ppm - 100 ppm for liquid sample
- Not possible to identify aerosolized chemical agent
- Currently identified liquid chemical agent
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