Journal Published Online: 06 April 2005
Volume 50, Issue 3

A Field Diagnostic Test for the Improvised Explosive Urea Nitrate

CODEN: JFSCAS

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.

Author Information

Almog, J
Casali Institute of Applied Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
Klein, A
Casali Institute of Applied Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
Tamiri, T
Israel Police National HQ, Jerusalem, Israel
Shloosh, Y
Israel Police National HQ, Jerusalem, Israel
Abramovich-Bar, S
Israel Police National HQ, Jerusalem, Israel
Pages: 5
Price: $25.00
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Details
Stock #: JFS2004278
ISSN: 0022-1198
DOI: 10.1520/JFS2004278