The New Blue Book: updated version of recommended operating procedures for Chemical Weapons Convention -related analysis

The Blue Book, 2017 Edition –– Recommended Operating Procedures for Analysis in the Verification of Chemical Disarmament –– is an updated version of recommended operating procedures (ROPs) for Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) -related analysis.

 This 2017 Edition is based on the 2011 version. Many procedures have been updated and several new chapters added.

The Blue Book, both 2011 and 2017 Editions, have been written as an international collaboration of a group of more than seventy authors and reviewers from twenty-two laboratories working on the field of CWC-related analysis. The Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (VERIFIN), Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki has coordinated both 2011 and 2017 versions.

New additions include e.g. Chapters on analysis of biomedical and sediment samples as well as analysis of analytes like ricin and Central Nervous System (CNS) acting chemicals. Also a larger variety of different analysis methods is presented, among others: immunocapture, MALDI–MS, 2D 1H-1H NMR correlation techniques, LC–HRMS and LC–MS/HRMS. Also, a more detailed look than before is provided for general themes such as relevant chemicals and method validation.

Altogether the Blue Book presents several themes, such as General issues to be taken into account when doing analysis, Analytical strategy, as well as General- and Established methods for Sample preparation. Different Analytical methods (e.g. GC and LC-based techniques, Other separation techniques, as well as Spectroscopy-based techniques and Other analysis) are introduced and analysis of Biomedical samples and Reporting-related issues are also covered.

For more in­form­a­tion

Professor Paula Vanninen, VERIFIN

Phone +358 40 550 2204

Email: paula.vanninen@helsinki.fi

Order the Blue Book

The Blue Book 2017 version is available from VERIFIN as a hardcopy and pdf version (www.verifin.helsinki.fi).