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Environmental monitors designed for automated detection and continuous numerical and/or graphic display of the concentration of chemicals that may kill or seriously injure human beings (i.e., chemical agents), such as industrial toxic chemicals (e.g., ammonia, nitric acid, phosgene, formaldehyde), nerve agents (e.g., tabun, sarin, VX), and blister (vesicant) agents (e.g., mustard, lewisite). These monitors may use one or several different technologies, including spectroscopy (e.g., ion-mobility spectroscopy). They typically are computerized and detect, identify, measure, and display the concentration of chemical agents. Some monitors provide warning signals (e.g., alarms) that operate when predetermined values of the chemical agent and/or the recording capabilities of the monitor have been reached or exceeded. Chemical agent environmental monitors are available as portable, handheld, stand-alone, or mobile units. They are used by healthcare personnel, rescuers, firefighters, and military personnel for continuous observation of contaminated or potentially contaminated areas.
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