Volume 1, Number 6 June 2004 

Newsletter of U.S. EPA’s Safe Buildings Monitoring 

and Detection Technology Verification Program 

What is ETV? 

The U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) established the 

Environmental Technology 

Verification (ETV) Program in 1995 

to verify the performance of 

innovative technical solutions to

problems that threaten human health 

or the environment. 

ETV’s mission is to accelerate the 

use of new environmental 

technologies in the domestic and 

international marketplace. 

ETV provides third-party, qualityassured performance data so buyers 

and users of environmental 

technologies can make informed

purchase and application decisions.

ETV works through public/private 

testing partnerships (called Centers)

to evaluate the performance of

environmental technologies. 

The program 

The Safe Buildings Monitoring 

and Detection Technology Verification Program is part of the U.S. 

EPA’s National Homeland 

Security Research Center 

(NHSRC). The program operates 

under the auspices of ETV to 

verify technologies that monitor 

and detect chemical and 

biological contaminants in 

buildings and public places. 

The Safe Buildings Monitoring 

and Detection Technology 

Verification Program develops 

test plans and protocols, conducts 

verification tests, and reports the 

technologies’ performance. 

For further information, contact 

Helen Latham at Battelle, 505 

King Ave., Columbus, OH 

43201-2693; phone 614-424-

4062; fax 614-424-5601; or e-mail 

lathamh@battelle.org.

2nd technology tested

Surface Acoustic Wave 

Technology Being Tested 

The second technology—the 

HAZMATCAD Plus instrument of 

Microsensor Systems, Inc.—is 

currently being tested by Battelle 

under the U.S. EPA’s Safe 

Buildings Monitoring and Detection Technology Verification 

Program. 

This technology, which is 

commercially available, combines 

electrochemical sensors that can 

rapidly determine the presence of 

toxic industrial chemicals (TICs) in 

a network of three surface acoustic 

wave (SAW) sensors that respond 

to chemical warfare (CW) agents. 

A SAW sensor detects chemical 

vapors absorbed onto chemically 

selective coatings on the sensor’s 

surface. In the HAZMATCAD 

Plus, an internal microcomputer 

measures the profile of changes in 

surface wave transmission across 

the three sensor elements to 

determine the presence, identity, 

and relative concentration of 

chemical agents. 

(See 2nd Technology on Page 2)

The verification test began in May 

and is expected to be completed in 

July. The test’s objective is to 

assess the performance of the 

portable electrochemical/SAW 

technology, which can be used by 

first responders to identify TICs 

and CW agents in a contaminated 

building. To meet a first responder’s needs, the instrument 

must be fast-responding, accurate 

Two HAZMATCAD Plus instruments submitted for testing by

Microsensor Systems, Inc. (at left), are being tested by Battelle’s Robyn 

Kroeger, who is using an electrochemical device to perform an 

independent check of the concentration of a TIC, in this case, chlorine.
3⁄4 Increased public awareness of technologies that can detect contamination 

in buildings or other structures 

3⁄4 Reduced anxiety about building contamination 

3⁄4 Access to credible performance data from technologies that monitor for 

and detect chemical and biological contaminants 

3⁄4 Acceptance by regulators and permitters of new technologies or new uses 

for existing technologies 

3⁄4 More rapid deployment of technologies to meet governmental goals 

3⁄4 Increased varieties of additional building detection technologies 

3⁄4 Awareness that technologies undergo objective, third-party testing 

3⁄4 Knowledge that trained experts develop and deploy technologies 

3⁄4 Successful building detection technologies restore confidence for 

workforce, visitors, investors, stockholders, and lenders.

2nd Technology (from Page 1)

in identifying TICs and CW agents, 

and portable (i.e., light in weight 

and battery-powered). 

The performance characteristics 

being evaluated address the ability 

to detect and identify target agents 

and chemicals under both ideal and 

realistic operating conditions. 

Performance characteristics 

include: response time, response 

threshold, accuracy, recovery time, 

temperature and humidity effects, 

interference effects, and battery 

life. 

Examples of potentially interfering 

compounds being used in testing 

include ammonia-based cleaner, 

latex paint fumes, gasoline vehicle 

exhaust, and air freshener vapors 

(see box). Operational factors—

Benefits of ETV Verification 

testing. Identical test systems are 

being used to assess the response of 

the HAZMATCAD Plus 

instrument to challenge mixtures of 

the selected TICs and CW agents.

HAZMATCAD Plus instruments. 

Testing of the instrument focused 

on the detection of chemicals in 

the vapor phase because that 

application is likely to be of the 

greatest use to first responders. 

The effects of potential interferences in an emergency situation 

will be assessed both with and 

without the target TICs and CW 

agents. 

Two test phases are being conducted: the first with TICs, in a 

non-surety laboratory; and the 

second with CW agents, in a 

certified surety facility. The TICs 

selected for testing are cyanogen 

chloride, hydrogen cyanide, 

phosgene, chlorine, and arsine. 

These gases are relatively common 

and available materials that could 

be used by terrorists to attack a 

building. Two CW agents—sarin 

(GB) and sulfur mustard (HD)—

will be used in the CW agent 

The effects of potentially 

interfering compounds are 

being assessed because 

the compounds can 

potentially produce two 

types of errors: erroneous 

reporting of a chemical or

chemical agent when 

none is present (false 

positive) or reduction in 

sensitivity or masking of 

target analytes of interest 

(false negatives). 

such as cold/hot start behavior, 

cost, ease of use, and data 

output—are also being evaluated. 

Testing is being conducted over 

ranges of temperature and relative 

humidity representing conditions 

that might be encountered in a 

building during an emergency. 

Standard test methods are being 

used to confirm the contaminant 

concentrations sampled by the 

In the foreground is a glass vessel 

used to supply interferent vapors—

for example, paint fumes for testing.

2