University of Tasmania
Browse

File(s) under permanent embargo

Coupled reversed-phase and ion chromatographic system for the simultaneous identification of inorganic and organic explosives

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 07:30 authored by Tyrrell, E, Gregory Dicinoski, Emily HilderEmily Hilder, Robert ShellieRobert Shellie, Michael BreadmoreMichael Breadmore, Pohl, CA, Paul HaddadPaul Haddad
There are many methods available to detect and positively identify either organic or inorganic explosives separately, however no one method has been developed which can detect both types of explosive species simultaneously from a single sample. In this work, a unique coupled-chromatographic system is reported for the simultaneous determination of both organic and inorganic explosive species and is used for pre-blast analysis/identification purposes. This novel approach is based on the combination of reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography and ion chromatography which allows trace levels of organic and inorganic explosives to be determined simultaneously from a single sample. Using this procedure, a 20 min reversed-phase separation of organic explosives is coupled to a 16 min ion-exchange separation of anions present in inorganic explosives, providing a complete pre-blast analysis/identification system for the separation and detection of a complex mixture containing organic and/or inorganic explosive species. The total analysis time, including sufficient column re-equilibration between runs, was <25 min using the coupled system. By this method, the minimum resolution for the organic separation was 1.16 between nitroglycerin and tetryl and the detection limits ranged from 0.31 mg L(-1) for cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine (HMX) and 1.54 mg L(-1) for pentaerythrite tetranitrate (PETN), while the minimum resolution for the inorganic separation was 0.99 between azide and nitrate, and the detection limits ranged from 7.70 mu g L(-1) for fluoride and 159.50 mu g L(-1) for benzoate. Crown Copyright (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Funding

Australian Research Council

Australian Customs Service

Australian Federal Police

Dionex Corporation

Forensic Science SA

History

Publication title

Journal of Chromatography A

Volume

1218

Issue

20

Pagination

3007-3012

ISSN

0021-9673

Department/School

School of Natural Sciences

Publisher

Elsevier Science Bv

Place of publication

PO Box 211, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1000 Ae

Rights statement

The definitive version is available at http://www.sciencedirect.com

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Expanding knowledge in the chemical sciences

Usage metrics

    University Of Tasmania

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC