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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Application of capillary electrophoresis for the determination of inorganic ions in trace explosives and explosive residues.

Capillary electrophoresis was developed for the analysis of low explosive residue, because a significant amount of inorganic anions and cations remain after deflagration. Certain high explosives, such as emulsion explosives, produce a vast quantity of inorganic ions after a blast and can readily be analyzed using capillary electrophoresis. Often, trace amounts of explosive residues may be present on physical evidence submitted in criminal cases. Trace amounts of inorganic ions such as nitrate, chlorate, and ammonium may be detected using capillary electrophoresis owing to the low detection limit of these species. The utility of capillary electrophoresis in the analysis of explosive residues is in its ability to simultaneously analyze trace explosives and ionic products present on physical evidence.

Anions↗
PubMed2000

Optimization of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for the recovery of explosives from aqueous and post-explosion debris followed by gas and liquid chromatographic analysis

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) has been evaluated for the recovery of explosives residues from aqueous samples and real post-explosion solid debris samples and optimized using gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (GC-ECD) and high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV). A modified SPME/HPLC interface utilizing dual six-port valves allowed for independent optimization of SPME desorption and injection variables that provided improved chromatographic resolution and sensitivity. A unique combination of cyano and octadecyl columns resulted in the complete separation of the 14 explosives in EPA method 8330 mixture using HPLC with good quantitative results. At the optimum SPME conditions, the limits of detection (LOD) were found to be of 5 ng/mL to 16 ng/mL of explosives in water and 10 microg/kg to 40 microg/kg of explosives from soil. The technique has been successfully applied to the analysis of real post-explosion debris and can be adapted for use in the field utilizing portable chromatographic instruments.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Tolerance towards explosives, and explosives removal from groundwater in treatment wetland mesocosms.

A short-term study was performed to determine the feasibility of using constructed wetlands to remove explosives from groundwater, and to assess accumulation of parent explosives compounds and their known degradation compounds in wetland plants. Tolerance towards explosives in submersed and emergent plants was screened over a range of 0 to 40 mg L(-1). Tolerance varied per compound, with TNT evoking the highest, 2NT the lowest, and 24DNT, 26DNT, and RDX an intermediate growth reducing effect. Submersed plants were more sensitive to TNT than emergent ones. A small-scale 4-month field study was carried out at the Volunteer Army Ammunition Plant, Chattanooga, TN. In this surface-flow, modular system, the influent contained high levels (>2.1 mg L(-1)) of TNT, 2,4DNT, 2,6DNT, 2NT, 3NT, and 4NT, and the HRT was 7 days. The performance criteria of US EPA treatment goals for local discharge of 2,4DNT concentration <0.32 mg L(-1), and 26DNT concentration <0.55 mg L(-1) were not met at the end of the experiment, although explosives levels were greatly reduced. Low levels of 2ADNT and 4ADNT were transiently observed in the plant biomass. Results of two other, older, constructed wetlands, however, indicated that in these systems treatment goals were met most of the time, residues of explosives parent compounds and known degradation compounds in plant tissues were low and/or transient, and in substrates were low.

Biomass↗
PubMed2000

Fire and explosion hazards to flora and fauna from explosives.

Deliberate or accidental initiation of explosives can produce a range of potentially damaging fire and explosion effects. Quantification of the consequences of such effects upon the surroundings, particularly on people and structures, has always been of paramount importance. Information on the effects on flora and fauna, however, is limited, with probably the weakest area lying with fragmentation of buildings and their effects on different small mammals. Information has been used here to gain an appreciation of the likely magnitude of the potential fire and explosion effects on flora and fauna. This is based on a number of broad assumptions and a variety of data sources including World War II bomb damage, experiments performed with animals 30-40 years ago, and more recent field trials on building break-up under explosive loading.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Interaction between explosive and analyte layers in explosive matrix-assisted plasma desorption mass spectrometry.

An HMX/insulin two-layer system was chosen as a model for further investigation of the matrix properties of explosive materials for protein analytes in plasma desorption mass spectrometry. The dependencies of the molecular ion yield and average charge state as a function of the analyte thickness were studied. An increase in the charge state of multiply protonated molecular species was confirmed as the major matrix effect, with the average charge state z at the smallest thickness studied being higher than in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization and closer to the value obtained in electrospray ionization under standard acidic conditions. Observed charge state distributions are significantly narrower than the corresponding Poisson distributions, which suggests that the protonation of insulin is limited in plasma desorption by the number of basic sites in the molecule, similar to electrospray ionization. Both the curve displaying total molecular ion yield and the one showing the total charge (proton) yield as a function of the insulin thickness have maxima at a thickness different from an insulin monolayer. These observations diminish the significance of a matrix/analyte interface mechanism for the explosive matrix assistance. Instead, a mechanism related to the chemical energy release during conversion of the explosive after the ion impact is proposed. As additional mechanisms, enhanced protonation of the analyte through collisions with products of the explosive decay is considered, as well as electron scavenging by other products, which leads to a higher survival probability of positively charged protein molecular ions. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Effects of particulate explosives on estimating contamination at a historical explosives testing area.

A historical explosives testing area harbored contamination as unevenly distributed solid particles within a contaminant-stained soil matrix. Particles larger than 3 mm diameter accounted for 96.4% of the explosives contamination. Independent sampling and analysis methods showed significant differences in contaminant estimations due to particulate explosives. We present a solvent-based sample averaging method designed to solve spatial heterogeneity problems resulting from the presence of contaminant particles.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗
PubMed2004

Gunshot and explosion injuries: characteristics, outcomes, and implications for care of terror-related injuries in Israel.

CONTEXT: An increase of terror-related activities may necessitate treatment of mass casualty incidents, requiring a broadening of existing skills and knowledge of various injury mechanisms. OBJECTIVE: To characterize and compare injuries from gunshot and explosion caused by terrorist acts. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of patients recorded in the Israeli National Trauma Registry (ITR), all due to terror-related injuries, between October 1, 2000, to June 30, 2002. The ITR records all casualty admissions to hospitals, in-hospital deaths, and transfers at 9 of the 23 trauma centers in Israel. All 6 level I trauma centers and 3 of the largest regional trauma centers in the country are included. The registry includes the majority of severe terror-related injuries. Injury diagnoses, severity scores, hospital resource utilization parameters, length of stay (LOS), survival, and disposition. RESULTS: A total of 1155 terror-related injuries: 54% by explosion, 36% gunshot wounds (GSW), and 10% by other means. This paper focused on the 2 larger patient subsets: 1033 patients injured by terror-related explosion or GSW. Seventy-one percent of the patients were male, 84% in the GSW group and 63% in the explosion group. More than half (53%) of the patients were 15 to 29 years old, 59% in the GSW group and 48% in the explosion group. GSW patients suffered higher proportions of open wounds (63% versus 53%) and fractures (42% versus 31%). Multiple body-regions injured in a single patient occurred in 62% of explosion victims versus 47% in GSW patients. GSW patients had double the proportion of moderate injuries than explosion victims. Explosion victims have a larger proportion of minor injuries on one hand and critical to fatal injuries on the other. LOS was longer than 2 weeks for 20% (22% in explosion, 18% in GSW). Fifty-one percent of the patients underwent a surgical procedure, 58% in the GSW group and 46% in explosion group. Inpatient death rate was 6.3% (65 patients), 7.8% in the GSW group compared with 5.3% in the explosion group. A larger proportion of gunshot victims died during the first day (97% versus 58%). CONCLUSIONS: GSW and injuries from explosions differ in the body region of injury, distribution of severity, LOS, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and time of inpatient death. These findings have implications for treatment and for preparedness of hospital resources to treat patients after a terrorist attack in any region of the world. Tailored protocol for patient evaluation and initial treatment should differ between GSW and explosion victims. Hospital organization toward treating and admitting these patients should take into account the different arrival and injury patterns.

Adolescent↗