ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 November 2004
Page Count: 6

Rapid Screening of Selected Organic Explosives by High Performance Liquid Chromatography Using Reversed-Phase Monolithic Columns
Paull, B
National Centre for Sensor Research, School of Chemical Sciences, Dublin City University,

Roux, C
Centre for Forensic Science, Dept. of Chemistry, Materials and Forensic Science, University of Technology,

Dawson, M
Centre for Forensic Science, Dept. of Chemistry, Materials and Forensic Science, University of Technology,

Doble, P
Centre for Forensic Science, Dept. of Chemistry, Materials and Forensic Science, University of Technology,

(Received 22 February 2004; accepted 7 May 2004)

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.

Keywords:
forensic science, explosives, screening tests, high performance liquid chromatography, monolithic column

Paper ID: JFS2004072
DOI: 10.1520/JFS2004072
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