Analysis and design of a multisensory array for explosive substances based on solid electrodes

Fue creado un dispositivo para detectar explosivos. Este dispositivo consta de un electrodo virtual de un metal y una voltamperometría de pulso diferencial. Entre las sñales electroquímica y análisis quimiométricos es posible diferenciar productos explosivos de otras substancias.

The detection of explosives and explosive related compds. is a subject of importance in several areas including environmental health, de-mining efforts (land and sea) and security and defense against terrorist activity.  The use of electrochem. methods is particularly attractive as many common explosives contain suitable chem. groups to be detected using electrochem. methods.  The electrochem. detection of explosives and related compds. in soln. using a virtual metal electrode array and differential pulse voltammetry was achieved.  The multiple sets of voltammetric data were integrated using multivariate anal. and matched with known substances present in explosives.  Seven explosive substances: 2,4-initrotoluene, 2,6-dinitrotoluene, 3,4-dinitrotoluene, 2-nitrotoluene, octogen (HMX), pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), trinitrotoluene (TNT) and cyclonite (RDX) and a taggant agent 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane (DMNB) were subjected to anal. using four solid electrodes, namely glassy carbon, silver, gold and platinum in saline aq. solns. to mimic an aquatic environment.  The results obtained in Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV) from the different expts. with each electrode were combined to produce a single voltammogram, which was subjected to chemometric anal. using Partial Least Squares (PLS) and Principle Component Anal. Non-Iterative Partial Least Squares (PCA-NIPALS).  A combination of the electrochem. signals obtained together with the use of chemometric anal. made it possible to discriminate between explosives and their mixts. and also to quantitate their concn. in saline solns.  These combinations created a math. array, which clearly separates the explosives, even if the electrochem. information is buried or mixed with the electrode background noise.

Baron, Mark; Barret, Richard; Rodriguez, Jose-Gonzalez

Proceedings of SPIE (2012), 8545(Optical Materials and Biomaterials in Security and Defence Systems Technology IX), 85450H/1-85450H/8.