Chemical weapons: status of forensic technologies and challenges to source attribution : report to congressional addressees / United States Government Accountability Office.

Format:

Book

Government document

Author/Creator:

United States. Government Accountability Office, author, issuing body.

Series:

United States. Government Accountability Office. Technology assessment

Technology assessment / United States Government Accountability Office

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Chemical weapons--Identification--Technological innovations.

Chemical weapons.

Analytical chemistry--Data processing.

Analytical chemistry.

Analytical chemistry--Instruments.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (iii, 52 pages) : color illustrations.

Other Title:

Chemical weapons GAO-23-105439

Place of Publication:

Washington, DC : United States Government Accountability Office, 2023.

Summary:

Despite the Chemical Weapons Convention's ban on their use, chemical weapons have been used in the past decade in assassinations and on civilian populations. To identify the use of a chemical weapon and then attribute that weapon back to its source, researchers rely on several technologies for chemical analysis. Chemical analysis is one piece of an overall chemical weapon investigation. This report discusses (1) the status of key technologies available to identify a chemical agent or its source, including their strengths and limitations; (2) challenges researchers and investigators face in trying to identify a chemical agent or its source; and (3) policy options that may help address the challenges of using key technologies to identify a chemical agent and its source.

Contents:

Introduction

1. Background

1.1 Chemical weapon programs

1.2 Chemical incidents and investigations

1.3 Chemical forensic analysis

1.4 Chemical analyses are one part of a forensic investigation

2. Most technologies for identification are mature, and technologies for attribution are emerging

2.1 Most technologies for identifying chemical agents are mature but have limitations

2.2 Methods for attributing chemical agents based on chemical analyses are under development

2.3 Real event summaries

3. Several challenges can hinder identification of chemical agents and their sources

3.1 Small, dilute, or degraded samples can reduce the utility of chemical analysis

3.2 Chemical reference data may be limited or incompatible

3.3 The sensitive nature of chemical agent forensics poses challenges to information sharing

3.4 Limited coordination hinders improvements to methods and technology

4. Six policy options to help address the challenges that hinder identification and attribution of chemical agents and their sources

5. Agency and expert comments

Appendices.

Notes:

"September 2023."

"GAO-23-105439."

In scope of the U.S. Government Publishing Office Catalog and Indexing Program (C&I) and Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP).

Includes bibliographical references.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (GAO, viewed September 14, 2023).

OCLC:

1397086587