A portable explosives identification kit for field use

This study has shown the feasibility of using a miniaturized TLC kit for the presumptive identification of explosives in the field. The process of TLC field screening of a post-explosion site is nondestructive, resolves constituent explosives from interfering backgrounds, and increases the residence time of isolated specimens in the adsorbed state for subsequent substantive identification by trace methods of instrumental analyses. The cost of the modified Kodak kit for explosives identification (excluding the microscope) is approximately +150. The stock items, such as the fluorescent silica gel sheets, Cab-O-Sil, and solvents, are of nominal cost. The kit is relatively simple to use and personnel with a minimal technical background can be trained in its use.