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.

Current version has been published in 2017.
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 Book published in 2011 is the 21st century version of this book.

ISBN 978-951-51-3916-0 (paperback)
ISBN 978-951-51-3917-7 (PDF)

Editor: Paula Vanninen
Publisher: University of Helsinki
Printed at: Unigrafia, Helsinki, Finland
Publishing data: 11 December 2017

The PDF document contains the whole Blue Book in one file, which has 809 pages.

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 two parts, part I with 406 pages and part II with 423 pages).

To download the PDF version of the Blue Book, 2017 Edition, please fill this form. After completing the form you will receive an e-mail with the download link.

The document contains the whole Blue Book in one file, which has 809 pages.

  • Blue Book, 2017 Edition: 250 €
  • VAT for countries outside of the EU: 10%
  • Postage cost will be added 

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:

http://www.helsinki.fi/verifin/bluebook

The following institutes have contributed to the preparation of the Blue Book, 2011 Edition:

  • Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (VERIFIN), Finland
  • Laboratory of Toxicant Analysis, Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMSLTA), China
  • Danish Emergency Management Agency (DEMA), Denmark
  • DGA CBRN Defence (DGA), France
  • Vertox Laboratory, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior, India
  • Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), Norway
  • DSO National Laboratories, Singapore
  • Laboratorio de Verificacion (LAVEMA), Unidad de Defensa Química, Area NBQ y Materiales, Instituto Tecnológico La Marañosa (ITM), Spain
  • Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI), Sweden
  • Spiez Laboratory, Swiss NBC Defence Establishment, Analytical Chemistry Branch, Switzerland
  • Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), UK
  • Forensic Analytical Center, Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC), USA
  • Teal Consulting, USA
  • OPCW Laboratory, The Organisation for Prohibition of the Chemical Weapons (OPCW)

You can join the mailing list for the Blue Book Newsletter to receive all announcements on future development of the Blue Book and the upcoming meetings.

Click here to open a new message and replace xx.yy@ww.zz with e-mail address.

Alternatively: send a e-mail message to majordomo@helsinki.fi and enter subscribe bluebook-news xx.yy@ww.zz (replace xx.yy@ww.zz with your e-mail address) as the message.

You will receive an e-mail which instructs you on how to confirm the joining on the list.

After you have joined, you will receive a message confirming the subscription to the mailing list. The message will also contain instrctions on how to unsubscribe to the list.