title: Detection of explosives on skin using ambient ionization mass spectrometry.
abstract: Single nanogram amounts of the explosives TNT, RDX, HMX, PETN and their mixtures were detected and identified in a few seconds on the surface of human skin without any sample preparation by desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) using a spray solution of methanol-water doped with sodium chloride to form the chloride adducts with RDX, HMX, and PETN while TNT was examined as the radical anion and tandem mass spectrometry was used to confirm the identifications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, 560 Oval Drive, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA.
authors.forename: Dina R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Justes
authors.forename: Nari
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Talaty
authors.forename: Ismael
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cotte-Rodriguez
authors.forename: R Graham
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Cooks
mesh_terms: D053834:Explosive Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D053834:Explosive Agents