Various Means for the Detection of Organophosphorous Compounds

Several reaction principles can be used for the detection of organophosphorous compounds. E.g. the “molybdenum blue” method, the colorimetric and fluorimetric variants of the Schoenemann reaction, electrochemical detection of cyanides upon reaction with certain oximes, photoemission of exitated HPO molecules in a hydrogen rich flame and the well known enzymatic detection of cholinesterase inhibiting compounds. Various detection systems have been developed varying from simple, manually operated devices to more sophisticated and continuous functioning detectors. These well established detection principles and some new emerging techniques, like microsensors using the surface acoustic wave technique, will be discussed.