Due to an increase in demand, the detection of organophosphorus compounds (OPs) has become extremely important. Conventional methods for detection of OPs are gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) and ion mobility spectrometry (IMS). GC/MS and IMS are not ideal detection methods for trace levels of OPs due to their high false positive rates, high cost of production, and low portability.

The objective of this work is 1) to create a micro-scale gas-liquid interface using microchannels and nanoporous membranes and 2) to adapt the oxime chemistry into the microchannel sensor in order to build an electrochemical sensor which selectively detects the trace (part-per-billion or lower) gas-phase organophosphorus compounds. This paper describes testing of oxime sensors with organophosphorus compound D. First, macro-scale experiments were conducted to determine the response of the oxime solution to compound D. Oxime chemistry was then adapted into two microchannel sensor designs: a passive and an active sensor. Both sensors were exposed to gaseous compound D and the response was recorded.