Rapid fluorophosphate nerve agent detection with lanthanides

We explore the detection of vapors of diisopropylfluorophosphate, a model compound for nerve agents such as Sarin, by means of photoluminescence quenching of filter paper impregnated with sensitized complexes of lanthanides, involving thenoyltrifluoroacetone and 1,10-phenanthroline as sensitizing ligands. We find that the presence of the fluorophosphate vapor is detectable in as little as 2 s, by simple visual observation under illumination with a hand-held low intensity ultraviolet lamp.