Detection of Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP) and Hexamethylene Triperoxide Diamine (HMTD) from the Gas Phase with Differential Ion Mobility Spectrometry (DMS)

One of the significant problems in the modern world is the detection of improvised explosives made of materials synthesized at home. Such compounds include triacetone triperoxide (TATP) and hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD). An attempt was made to construct an instrument allowing for the simultaneous detection of both compounds despite the large difference of vapor pressure: very high for TATP and very low for HMTD. The developed system uses differential ion mobility spectrometry (DMS) in combination with a specially designed gas sample injection system. The created system of detectors allowed for the detection of a high concentration of TATP and a very low concentration of HMTD. TATP detection was possible despite the presence of impurities-acetone remaining from the technological process and formed as a coproduct of diacetone diperoxide (DADP) synthesis. Ammonia added to the carrier gas improved the possibility of detecting the abovementioned explosives, reducing the intensity of the acetone signal. The obtained results were then compared with the detection capabilities of drift tube ion mobility spectrometer (DT-IMS), which has not made possible such detection as DMS.

Automated summary

Researchers attempted to develop an instrument using DMS technology to simultaneously detect both TATP and HMTD. By using a specially designed gas sample injection system, they successfully detected the presence of TATP and HMTD. During the detection process, impurities from the technological process can affect the results, but the addition of ammonia can mitigate this impact.