title: Quantitative detection of trace explosive vapors by programmed temperature desorption gas chromatography-electron capture detector.
abstract: The direct liquid deposition of solution standards onto sorbent-filled thermal desorption tubes is used for the quantitative analysis of trace explosive vapor samples. The direct liquid deposition method yields a higher fidelity between the analysis of vapor samples and the analysis of solution standards than using separate injection methods for vapors and solutions, i.e., samples collected on vapor collection tubes and standards prepared in solution vials. Additionally, the method can account for instrumentation losses, which makes it ideal for minimizing variability and quantitative trace chemical detection. Gas chromatography with an electron capture detector is an instrumentation configuration sensitive to nitro-energetics, such as TNT and RDX, due to their relatively high electron affinity. However, vapor quantitation of these compounds is difficult without viable vapor standards. Thus, we eliminate the requirement for vapor standards by combining the sensitivity of the instrumentation with a direct liquid deposition protocol to analyze trace explosive vapor samples.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Sensing & Fuel Technology, Chemistry Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory; christopher.field@nrl.navy.mil.
authors.forename: Christopher R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Field
authors.affiliation: NOVA Research, Inc.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lubrano
authors.affiliation: NOVA Research, Inc.
authors.forename: Morgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Woytowitz
authors.affiliation: Bio/Analytical Chemistry, Chemistry Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.
authors.forename: Braden C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.affiliation: Navy Technology Center for Safety and Survivability, Chemistry Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Rose-Pehrsson
mesh_terms: D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods*; D053834:Explosive Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D014227:Triazines / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D014303:Trinitrotoluene / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D053834:Explosive Agents; D014227:Triazines; D014303:Trinitrotoluene; C009160:cyclonite