Ion mobility spectrometry instrumentation today is widespread in the area of transport security and counterterrorism. This method of detection of explosive substances is highly appreciated for the existence of portable detectors capable of detecting concentrations of 10−13–10−14 g/cm3 at atmospheric pressure using traditional ionization methods including corona discharge and beta radiation. However, low vapor pressure of some explosives imposes requirements on limit of detection (LOD) down to 10–15‒10−16 g/cm3. In this paper we compare a radioactive 63Ni ionization source with a laser ionization source and reveal the parameters of laser ionization of a group of explosives, namely trinitrotoluene (TNT), cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine (RDX), cyclotetramethylene-tetranitramine (HMX) and pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), which can reduce the limit of detection of portable devices. A laser ionization source can provide a higher signal to noise ratio than radioactive 63Ni at optimal intensity of laser radiation for PETN and HMX of 3 × 107 W/cm2 and 2.5 × 107 W/cm2, respectively. Limits of detection were estimated: 3 × 10−15 g/cm3 for RDX, 8 × 10−15 g/cm3 for PETN and less than 3 × 10−15 g/cm3 for HMX. These results are promising to further improve the capabilities of detectors of low volatility explosives without sacrificing portability, light weight and reasonable cost of the laser source.
A compact instrument that implements for the first time a method for analyzing substances, in which laser desorption of analyzed molecules and laser ionization of an air sample are combined with the ion mobility increment spectroscopy, is described. Pulse radiation of the fourth harmonic of a portable (2.6 kg) GSGG : Cr 3+ : Nd 3+ laser (λ = 266 nm) is used. The detection limit of the developed laser desorption spec trometer of the ion mobility increment is 40 pg for trinitrotoluene (TNT), and the linear dynamic range for TNT is 0.1-20.0 ng. The results from detection of nitro compounds are presented: trinitrotoluene, cyclotri methylene trinitramine (RDX), and octogen (HMX). It is shown that laser desorption of nitro compounds from a metal is accompanied by their decomposition on the surface and emission of fragments. An ion signal is obtained for nitro compounds that were ionized outside the spectrometer.
The paper presents the results of research and development of ion mobility spectrometer with laser ion sources for detecting ultra-low quantities of explosives in air. Particular attention is paid to the mechanisms of the formation of negative ions. It is shown that laser ionization with respect to ion mobility spectrometry provides an increase of sensitivity and selectivity of detection. The ion mobility spectra of the most common nitro explosives are investigated. The detection threshold for laser ion mobility spectrometer was reached at the level of 10g/cm (for trinitrotoluene).
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