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Quantitative Detection of Trace Explosive Vapors by Programmed Temperature Desorption Gas Chromatography-Electron Capture Detector
Published on: July 25, 2014
Rapid screening of selected organic explosives by high performance liquid chromatography using reversed-phase
Brett Paull1, Claude Roux, Michael Dawson
1National Centre for Sensor Research, School of Chemical Sciences, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland.
Abstract:
This study presents the rapid screening of various high grade explosives by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with monolithic stationary phases. Two gradient methods were developed, the first for quantitative analysis of eleven explosives: HMX; RDX; Tetryl; TNT; 2,3-DNT; 2,6-DNT; 3,4-DNT; 2-NT; 3-NT; 4-NT; and PETN in under 14 min. The second method separated seven explosives in under two min and is suitable for rapid screening to determine the presence of specific and/or class of explosive. The rapid screening methods were successfully applied to soils spiked with known amounts of target explosives. This technology showed excellent potential for forensic explosives detection and analysis.
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