Army adopts new tech to detect chemical weapons

Sept. 8 (UPI) -- The Army is sending a new, more sensitive tool for chemical weapons detection to units at risk of exposure.

According to an Army press release, some active Army, Reserve and National Guard units have begun to receive Chemical Agent Disclosure Spray and the Contamination Indicator/Decontamination Assurance System, known as CIDAS.

It detects chemical weapons accurately at lower concentration levels -- and can help inspectors determine whether decontamination worked.

The Army is fielding the system to all units in areas where there is a threat of chemical agents.

The Army funded research behind the technology at the University of Pittsburgh starting 20 years ago.

Lead researcher Alan Russell looked for ways to incorporate enzymes into polymers that would be stabilized for use outside the cell and then used in realistic battlefield environments -- creating a tool to sense chemicals in those conditions.

Russell then started a business which was later purchased by FLIR Systems, Inc., to develop the technology -- a liquid solution that changes color when applied to a surface contaminated by a specific chemical agent.

"Our ability to respond to chemical warfare is a national security challenge that is vital to protecting both civilian and military lives," said Dr. Stephen Lee, senior scientist at the ARO.

Previously, inspectors had used simpler color-change systems, but they tended to be susceptible to chemical interference, which made results unreliable, and were often not very sensitive.

"This technology is highly sensitive, providing accurate results on only trace amounts of material, even at concentrations below levels that represent an immediate danger to life and health," Lee said.