title: Detection of explosives and explosives-related compounds by single photon laser ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.
abstract: The application of single photon ionization in combination with mass-selective detection by time-of-flight mass spectrometry is described for the rapid detection of the nitro-containing explosives and explosives-related compounds nitrobenzene, 1,3-dinitrobenzene, o-nitrotoluene, 2,4-dinitrotoluene, and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, as well as the peroxide-based explosive triacetone triperoxide in the gas phase. The technique is demonstrated to be a plausible approach for laser-based rapid detection of explosives. The limits of detection for nitrobenzene and 2,4-dinitrotoluene using SPI were also measured and determined to be 17-24 (S/N approximately 2:1) and approximately 40 ppb (S/N approximately 2:1), respectively.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Physics Laboratory, SRI International, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mullen
authors.forename: Amos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Irwin
authors.forename: Bethany V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Pond
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Huestis
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Coggiola
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oser