Chemical explosive detector

摘要

A method and device for detecting explosive compounds in an air sample in which the air sample is filtered with activated carbon treated with a weakly basic solution, after which the air sample is divided into two parts, with one part being heated at lower temperatures to decompose non-explosive nitrogenous compounds and the second part being heated at higher temperatures to decompose explosive nitrogenous compounds. Nitrogen dioxide is measured in both portions of the air sample with a spectrographic detector, and the presence or absence of explosive nitrogenous compounds in the air sample is determined.

主权项

1. A method for detecting explosive compounds, comprising:
(a) collecting an air sample in a vicinity of an object; (b) conducting the air sample through a filter comprising a porous material treated with a solution having a basic pH; (c) dividing the air sample into a first portion and a second portion, wherein:
(i) the first portion of the air sample is conducted through a heater comprising a chamber heated to a temperature of between 80° C. and 200° C., in order to convert non-explosive nitrogenous compounds to NO or NO2; and(ii) the second portion of the air sample is conducted through a heater comprising a chamber heated to a temperature of between 250° C. and 350° C., in order to convert non-explosive and explosive nitrogenous compounds to NO or NO2; (d) spectrographically measuring the amount of NO2 in both the first portion of the air sample and the second portion of the air sample; and (e) determining whether the amount of NO2 in the second portion of the air sample is greater than the amount of NO2 in the first portion of the air sample, thereby determining whether an explosive compound is present in the air sample.