A rapid method for the identification of nitrocellulose in high explosives and smokeless powders using GC-EI-MS

Nitrocellulose (NC) is one of the most common ingredients in explosive mixtures, however because of its non-volatility, its detection using Gas Chromatography-Electron Ionization-Mass Spectrometry (GC-EI-MS) has not been achieved until today. A rapid method for the identification of NC in bulk explosives using GC-EI-MS was developed. The sample preparation is simple and takes place in a test tube, employing standard equipment of a forensics laboratory. The protocol was optimized and applied to seven, both high and low, commercial explosives, which contained the substance of interest. Moreover, three explosives in the absence of NC were tested to cross check for false positives. Fourteen different standard explosive substances that are usually found in explosive mixtures were then employed in order to monitor the effect of the method on these compounds and check for interferences. Results showed that NC was detected, by its trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives, in all the explosive mixtures analyzed and no false positives were observed. The proposed method showed selectivity for NC, as it had no interference coming from other ingredients of explosive mixtures. The protocol introduced offers considerable improvement in identifying the individual components of an explosive mixture and contributes in successful classification of explosives.