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Modern Chemistry

Edgewood chemists have been engaged in the development and use of chemical warfare defense technology since the first broad use of chemical weapons in World War I. Today, ECBC's chemists continue to support national defense programs by evaluating and developing life-saving technologies such as chemical decontamination systems, detectors and protective equipment such as masks. They are principal investigators into the non-medical effects of chemical/biological agents on materials and equipment, and are responsible for developing criteria for restoration of operations after an attack.

In an effort to meet the growing demand for the development of sophisticated equipment tooled to detect, monitor and destroy lethal chemical agents, ECBC is constructing an advanced chemistry laboratory expected to be operational in the fall of 2005. Highly instrumented and adaptable, the new laboratory will be capable of analyzing at the parts-per-billion level and has been designed for flexibility to address the changing requirements of scientific advancement.