Identification of CS‐derived compounds formed during heat‐dispersion of CS riot control agent*†

Abstract

High temperatures are frequently used to disperse 2-chlorobenzylidene Ž . malononitrile CS riot control agent. We examined airborne CS degradation products heat-dispersed together with CS from canisters of a type used by law enforcement personnel for crowd and riot control. Air contaminants derived from CS were trapped using a polytetraflouroethylene filter. Analysis was by open tubular gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Compounds observed in addition to CS included 2-chlorobenzaldehyde, 2-chlorobenzonitrile, quinoline, Ž . 2-chlorobenzylcyanide, 1,2-dicyanobenzene, 3-2-chlorophenyl propynenitrile, cis Ž . and trans isomers of 2-chlorocinnamonitrile, 2,2-dicyano-3-2-chlorophenyl oxirane, 2-chlorodihydrocinnamonitrile, benzylidenemalononitrile, cis and trans isomers of 2-cyanocinnamonitrile, 2-chlorobenzylmalononitrile, 3-quinoline carbonitrile, and 3-isoquinoline carbonitrile.

Solid phase microextraction with analysis by gas chromatography to determine short term hydrogen cyanide concentrations in a field setting

“…The production of numerous organic degradation products from thermal dispersion of CS from canisters was observed previously [12,13], although sampling and analysis methods used in that work did not allow detection of analytes noted here. Analytes detected in the current work would have been obscured during the solvent delay period prior to mass spectrometer activation for traditional GC/MS analysis of solvent extracts from filters and sorbent tubes used to trap airborne analytes during thermal CS dispersion from similar canisters [13]. The temperatures attained within the type of CS canister used here have been shown to be around 700 -8008C [14].…”

Restrict use of riot-control chemicals

“…The hot, burning canisters in which CS is often dispensed can burn the skin and start fires. Rioters might be exposed to solvents and toxic by-products from burning munitions 6 . Contaminants might be found in poorly made agents, sometimes encountered in the developing world, or in those that are well past their use-by date.…”

Hyphenated techniques of thermal analysis for dibenz[b,f][1,4]oxazepine

“…Kluchinsky et al collected the pyrolysate of CS using a PTFE lter and analyzed the composition of the pyrolysate using gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GC/MS); however, they did not explain the specic temperature observed during the thermal decomposition. 19 They then studied the possible generation of HCN and HCl during the thermal decomposition of CS at high temperatures (over 700 C) 20 and the products of the thermal decomposition of CS at the temperatures in the 300-900 C range using the tubular furnace and GC/MS techniques. 21 Hook et al studied the relationship between the decomposition products and temperatures by collecting and analyzing the products of the thermal decomposition of CS in the 150-300 C range using solid phase microextraction and GC/MS.…”