Blue Book

VERIFIN has been coordinating the publishing of "Recommended operating procedures for analysis in the verification of chemical disarmament" the so-called Blue Book. This is a collection of recommended methods for analysis of chemicals related to Chemical Weapons Convention.

Latest version has been published in 2023.
History of the Blue Book

During years 1977-1994 VERIFIN published 22 Blue Books, which covered a wide range of topics from analytical methods and reference data to training and databases related to chemical disarmament. These books were published at Geneva Conference of Disarment during the negotiations of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The last book published in 1994 was a collection of recommended operating procedures. The Blue Books published in 2011, 2017 and 2023 are the modernized version of this book. Especially, the 2023 publication contains a much wider selection of analytical techniques when compared to its predecessors.
Obtaining latest Blue Book

The Blue Book has mainly been intended to be distributed as its electronic form (PDF).  We have produced printed copies of the Blue Book (an A4-format paperback book printed in four (4) parts, and it weights 3.8 kg).

The document contains the whole Blue Book in one file, which has 1293 pages.

You can download .
Blue Book publication info

ISBN 978-951-51-9958-4 (paperback)
ISBN 978-951-51-9959-1 (PDF)

Editor: Paula Vanninen
Publisher: University of Helsinki
Printed at: Oy Nord Print Ab,Helsinki, Finland
Publishing date: 14 November 2023

The PDF document contains the whole Blue Book in one file, which has 1293 pages.
Referring to Blue Book

It is recommended that a reference to the Blue Book is made as follows (naturally following the details of the journal, etc.):

R. Read, R. Black, U. Hakala and P. Vanninen, "Liquid chromatography–atmospheric pressure ionisation/mass spectrometry" in P. Vanninen (ed.) "Recommended operating procedures for analysis in the verification of chemical disarmament, 2011 Edition", University of Helsinki, Finland, 2011, pp. 282–294.

Please include only the authors in the reference. You can also include the internet link to this page, which will not change:
Contributors

The following institutes have contributed to the preparation of the Blue Book, 2023 Edition:

  • Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (VERIFIN), Finland
  • Laboratory of Toxicant Analysis, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), China
  • Danish Emergency Management Agency (DEMA), Denmark
  • Direction générale de l'armement (DGA) CBRN, France
  • VERTOX Laboratory, Defence Research and Development Establishment, India
  • Laboratory for Analysis of Chemical Threat Agents, Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), Norway
  • Verification Laboratory, Defence Medical and Environmental Research Institute, DSO National Laboratories, Singapore
  • Laboratorio de Verificación de Armas Químicas (LAVEMA), Departamento Sistemas de Defensa NBQ, Instituto Nacional Técnica Aeroespacial INTA, Spain
  • Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI), Sweden
  • Spiez Laboratory, Swiss NBC Defence Establishment, Analytical Chemistry Branch, Switzerland
  • Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), UK
  • DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center, Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC), USA
  • TEAL Consulting, USA
  • OPCW Laboratory, The Organisation for Prohibition of the Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
  • Bundeswehr Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Germany
  • Bundeswehr Research Institute for Protective Technologies and CBRN Protection, Germany
  • National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA
  • Cranfield Forensic Institute, Cranfield University, UK
  • Defence Science and Technology Group, Land division (DSTG), Australia
  • Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Research Institute of Chemical Defence (RICD), China
  • Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Biological Toxins, Robert Koch Institute, (RKI), Germany
  • Military Research Institute (VVU), Czech Republic
  • Military University of Technology (WAT), Poland
  • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA
  • Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health General Directorate of Public Health, Turkey
  • Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), USA
  • Chemical Analysis Laboratory, CBR Directorate, Agency for Defence Development (ADD), Republic of Korea
  • Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission, CEA, France
  • Military Research Institute, Czech Republic
  • Air Force Research Laboratory (USAF), USA
  • Department of Chemistry, Malaysia
Price information of printed copy
  • Blue Book, 2023 Edition: 300 €
  • VAT for countries outside of the EU: 10%
  • Postage cost will be added, please note that books weights 3.8 kg.
  • If you want to order printed copy, please send e-mail to with the title "Blue Book 2023 printed copy order".
    • Also fill following information: Name, Organisation, Postal Address and Billing Address.
Older versions of Blue Books

Old VERIFIN Blue Books

  • V
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Original Blue books

A. General reports 

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B. Systematic identification of chemical warfare agents 

 

C. Trace analysis of chemical warfare agents 

 

D. Standard operating procedures for the verification of chemical disarmament 

E. Computer-aided techniques for the verification of chemical disarmament 

 

F. International interlaboratory comparison (Round-Robin) test for the verification of chemical disarmament 

  • F.3 Testing of Procedures on Simulated Military Facility Samples, 1992 (link will be provide later)
    F.4 Validating of Procedures for Water and Soil Samples, 1993 (link will be provide later)
     

G. Training program in analytical methods and instrumentation for the verification of chemical disarmament 

 

H. Interlaboratory comparison test coordinated by the provisional technical secretariat for the preparatory commission for the organisation for the prohibition of chemical weapons 

  • H.1 First Interlaboratory Comparison Test, 1994  (link will be provide later)

     

Monographs