Post-blast detection of traces of explosives by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Banaś, Agnieszka; Banaś, Krzysztof; Bahou, Mohammed; Moser, H. O.; Wen, Liu; Yang, Pengxiang; Li, Z J; Cholewa, M.; Lim, Sai‐Kiang; Lim, Ch.

doi:10.1016/j.vibspec.2009.04.003

Cited by 45 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…6. For each sample, the positions of the strongest/unique peaks have been labeled for clarity, and they are in good agreement with FTIR measurements reported in the literature [15][16][17]. The common broad absorption feature around 2720 nm present in all four samples arises due to the O-H stretching vibration of hydroxyl groups from absorbed water in the fused silica host.…”

Section: A Sample Set #1-nestt-tnt Rdx Petn Potassium Nitratesupporting

confidence: 81%

Stand-off detection of solid targets with diffuse reflection spectroscopy using a high-power mid-infrared supercontinuum source

et al. 2012

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We measure the diffuse reflection spectrum of solid samples such as explosives (TNT, RDX, PETN), fertilizers (ammonium nitrate, urea), and paints (automotive and military grade) at a stand-off distance of 5 m using a mid-infrared supercontinuum light source with 3.9 W average output power. The output spectrum extends from 750-4300 nm, and it is generated by nonlinear spectral broadening in a 9 m long fluoride fiber pumped by high peak power pulses from a dual-stage erbium-ytterbium fiber amplifier operating at 1543 nm. The samples are distinguished using unique spectral signatures that are attributed to the molecular vibrations of the constituents. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) calculations demonstrate the feasibility of increasing the stand-off distance from 5 to ~150 m, with a corresponding drop in SNR from 28 to 10 dB.

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Section: A Sample Set #1-nestt-tnt Rdx Petn Potassium Nitratesupporting

confidence: 81%

Stand-off detection of solid targets with diffuse reflection spectroscopy using a high-power mid-infrared supercontinuum source

et al. 2012

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“…27 However, the high speed of scanning of Raman imaging is usually achieved at the expense of both spatial and spectral resolution, being particularly crucial when extremely large surfaces must be analysed. In fact, these few studies have demonstrated that post-blast residues can be easily detected in small explosions of few grams of explosive performed inside a container, [24][25][26] but extremely complicated when post-blast residues from real open air explosions are spread out over large areas. 23 In this work, confocal Raman microscopy has been studied for the determination of post-blast particles from a large variety of explosives 4 usable in IEDs tackling the analysis of the post-blast residues collected from ten real open-air explosions of ten different explosives.…”

Section: Numerous Dreadful Terrorist Attacks Have Shown the Harm And mentioning

confidence: 99%

Determination of Nanogram Microparticles from Explosives after Real Open-Air Explosions by Confocal Raman Microscopy

Zapata

García-Ruiz

2016

Anal. Chem.

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Explosives are increasingly being used for terrorist attacks to cause devastating explosions. The detection of their postblast residues after an explosion is a high challenge, which has been barely investigated, particularly using spectroscopic techniques. In this research, a novel methodology using confocal Raman microscopy has been developed for the analysis of postblast residues from 10 open-air explosions caused by 10 different explosives (TNT, RDX, PETN, TATP, HMTD, dynamite, black powder, ANFO, chloratite, and ammonal) commonly used in improvised explosive devices. The methodology for the determination of postblast particles from explosives consisted of examining the samples surfaces with both the naked eye, first, and microscopically (10× and 50×), immediately afterward; and finally, analyzing the selected residues by confocal Raman spectroscopy in order to identify the postblast particles from explosives. Interestingly, confocal Raman microscopy has demonstrated to be highly suitable to rapidly, selectively, and noninvasively analyze postblast microscopic particles from explosives up to the nanogram range.

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“…More than 200 samples containing residue materials collected from various surfaces of objects that were within a close distance from the centre of explosion were prepared. Appropriate data treatment was used before the multivariate analysis (Banas et al 2010).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multivariate statistical methods in the forensic investigation of the post-blast residues measured by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Banaś

Moser

et al. 2011

DLS Proc.

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Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has gained significant attention among the forensic scientists because it shows high sensitivity and selectivity, and offers near-real-time detection. Application of the multivariate statistical techniques for the analysis of the spectra is necessary in order to enable feature extraction, proper evaluation and identification of obtained spectra. In this paper we show the development of a feasible procedure for the characterization of spectroscopic signatures of the explosive materials in the remnants after explosion. In our research especially designed and prepared sample catchers were used during the blasts of three various high explosives: C-4, TNT and PETN. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed using broad spectral data range (600-4000 cm −1 ) for sample classification into separate classes. Most of the information contained in spectral data was compressed by PCA in few relevant principal components that explain most of the variance of spectral data. The results show that FTIR spectroscopy in combination with multivariate methods are well suited for identification and differentiation purposes even in very large data sets and could be employed by forensic laboratories for rapid screening analysis. Materials and methodsSmall amounts (<30 g) of C-4 (plastic explosive in which the main component is the high energetic material RDX -cyclotrimethylene trinitramine), PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate) and TNT (2,4,6-trinitrotoluene) were placed in a steel container (18 × 18 × 18 cm 3 ) and detonated (during separate explosions) at Advanced Materials Engineering Pte Ltd (AME) (Singapore) facility by the trained staff. Especially designed sample catchers (Banas et al. 2009) were used in order to maximize the number of residues obtained after each explosion. All post-blast residues †

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Post-blast detection of traces of explosives by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Cited by 45 publications

References 25 publications

Stand-off detection of solid targets with diffuse reflection spectroscopy using a high-power mid-infrared supercontinuum source

Stand-off detection of solid targets with diffuse reflection spectroscopy using a high-power mid-infrared supercontinuum source

Determination of Nanogram Microparticles from Explosives after Real Open-Air Explosions by Confocal Raman Microscopy

Multivariate statistical methods in the forensic investigation of the post-blast residues measured by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

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