A field diagnostic test for the improvised explosive urea nitrate

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A field diagnostic test for the improvised explosive urea nitrate Almog J, Klein A, Tamiri T, Shloosh Y, Abramovich-Bar S
Download this paper for $25 PDF (120K) View License Agreement Source: JFS (March 2005)

Abstract
A sensitive, specific and simple color test for the improvised explosive urea nitrate is described. It is based on the formation of a red pigment upon the reaction between urea nitrate and p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (p-DMAC) under neutral conditions. Urea itself, which is the starting material for urea nitrate, does not react with p-DMAC under the same conditions. Other potential sources of false positive response e.g., common fertilizers, medications containing the urea moiety and various amines, do not produce the red pigment with p-DMAC. Exhibits collected from 10 terrorist cases have been tested with p-DMAC. The results were in full agreement with those obtained by instrumental techniques including GC/MS, XRD and IR.

Keywords:
color test, color testing, explosives, field test, forensic science, p-dimethylamino- benzaldehyde (p-DMAB), p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (p-DMAC), p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde)p-DMAC), urea nitrate
ISSN: 0022-1198
Paper ID: JFS2004278
DOI: 10.1520/JFS2004278

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Author Almog J, Klein A, Tamiri T, Shloosh Y, Abramovich-Bar S Title A field diagnostic test for the improvised explosive urea nitrate Symposium , Committee on

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