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Title: Part 2: Forensic attribution profiling of Russian VX in food using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

Journal Article · · Talanta
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  1. Swedish Defence Research Agency, Umeå (Sweden)
  2. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Forensic Science Center

This work is part two of a three-part series in this issue of a Sweden-United States collaborative effort towards the understanding of the chemical attribution signatures of Russian VX (VR) in synthesized samples and complex food matrices. We describe the sourcing of VR present in food based on chemical analysis of attribution signatures by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) combined with multivariate data analysis. Analytical data was acquired from seven different foods spiked with VR batches that were synthesized via six different routes in two separate laboratories. The synthesis products were spiked at a lethal dose into seven food matrices: water, orange juice, apple purée, baby food, pea purée, liquid eggs and hot dog. After acetonitrile sample extraction, the samples were analyzed by LC-MS/MS operated in MRM mode. A multivariate statistical calibration model was built on the chemical attribution profiles from 118 VR spiked food samples. Using the model, an external test-set of the six synthesis routes employed for VR production was correctly identified with no observable major impact of the food matrices to the classification. The overall performance of the statistical models was found to be exceptional (94%) for the test set samples retrospectively classified to their synthesis routes.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Swedish Defence Research Agency, Umeå (Sweden)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) (United States); Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-07NA27344; HSHQPM-10-X-00014; HSHQPM-11-X-00247; 2014-5170
OSTI ID:
1513146
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1582909
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL-738475; 887639
Journal Information:
Talanta, Vol. 186; ISSN 0039-9140
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 13 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

Figures / Tables (6)