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Abstract
Jet propellant 8 (JP-8) is a kerosene-based fuel containing several hundred hydrocarbons and used in a variety of military vehicles, including aircraft. Studies have shown that the fuel exerts toxic effects on the respiratory, immune, and nervous systems. However, the chemical complexity of the fuel makes it difficult to analyze and determine the primary components responsible for the adverse effects. The objective of this study was to develop an analytical method, with accuracy and precision of 20% or better, for JP-8 aerosol and vapor samples using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and to apply this method to aerosol and vapor samples collected from a nose-only (mouse) exposure chamber at the University of Arizona. The validation was carried out using both neat JP-8 in chloroform and a thirty-four component surrogate hydrocarbon mixture (SHM), which was conducted to identify and quantify major constituents of the fuel. Funded by AFOSR [grant no F49620-03-1-0157].