title: Micellar electrokinetic chromatography of organic and peroxide-based explosives.
abstract: CE methods have been developed for the analysis of organic and peroxide-based explosives. These methods have been developed for deployment on portable, in-field instrumentation for rapid screening. Both classes of compounds are neutral and were separated using micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC). The effects of sample composition, separation temperature, and background electrolyte composition were investigated. The optimised separation conditions (25 mM sodium tetraborate, 75 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate at 25°C, detection at 200 nm) were applied to the separation of 25 organic explosives in 17 min, with very high efficiency (typically greater than 300,000 plates m(-1)) and high sensitivity (LOD typically less than 0.5 mg L(-1); around 1-1.5 μM). A MEKC method was also developed for peroxide-based explosives (10 mM sodium tetraborate, 100 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate at 25°C, detection at 200 nm). UV detection provided LODs between 5.5 and 45.0 mg L(-1) (or 31.2-304 μM), which is comparable to results achieved using liquid chromatography. Importantly, no sample pre-treatment or post-column reaction was necessary and the peroxide-based explosives were not decomposed to hydrogen peroxide. Both MEKC methods have been applied to pre-blast analysis and for the detection of post-blast residues recovered from controlled, small scale detonations of organic and peroxide-based explosive devices.
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science, School of Chemistry, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 75, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia(1).
authors.forename: Cameron
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Johns
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science, School of Chemistry, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 75, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia(1).
authors.forename: Joseph P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Hutchinson
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science, School of Chemistry, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 75, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia(1).
authors.forename: Rosanne M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Guijt
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science, School of Chemistry, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 75, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia(1).
authors.forename: Emily F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Hilder
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science, School of Chemistry, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 75, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia(1).
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Haddad
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science, School of Chemistry, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 75, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia(1).
authors.forename: Mirek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Macka
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science, School of Chemistry, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 75, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia(1).
authors.forename: Pavel N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Nesterenko
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science, School of Chemistry, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 75, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia(1).
authors.forename: Adam J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Gaudry
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science, School of Chemistry, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 75, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia(1).
authors.forename: Greg W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Dicinoski
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science, School of Chemistry, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 75, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia(1). Electronic address: mcb@utas.edu.au.
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Breadmore
keywords: Capillary electrophoresis; Counter-terrorism; Micellar electrokinetic chromatography; Organic explosives; Peroxide explosives