Nanoparticles of AP-Al2O3 (aero-gel produced alumina) have been produced by an alkoxide based synthesis involving aluminum powder, methanol, toluene and water. Thus produced alumina nanoparticles were characterized and the data indicated the formation of nanoparticles of alumina in the size range of 2-30 nm with high surface area (375 m(2)/g). Thereafter, these nanoparticles were impregnated with reactive chemicals. Adsorptive removal kinetics for DEClP (diethylchlorophosphate) and GB (isopropy-Imethylphosphonofluoridate, sarin) was monitored by GC-FID (gas chromatograph coupled with flame ionization detector) technique and found to be following pseudo first order reaction kinetics. Among impregnated AP-Al2O3 nanoparticles based sorbent systems AP-Al2O3 impregnated with 9-molybdo-3-vanadophosphoric acid (10%, w/w) was found to be the most reactive with least half-life values of 7 and 30 min for the removal of DEClP and GB, respectively, whereas unimpregnated AP-Al2O3 nanoparticles showed the best adsorption potential among all studied systems. In addition to this, hydrolysis reaction (identified using GC/MS (gas chromatograph coupled with mass spectrometer) technique) was found to be the route of degradation of DEClP and GB on impregnated alumina nanoparticles. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.