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DOE OSTI · 1981775

Trace explosives sampling for security applications (TESSA) study: Evaluation of procedures and methodology for contact sampling efficiency

Novosselov, Igor V.·Coultas-McKenney, Caralyn A.·Miroshnik, Leonid·Kottapalli, Kalyan·Ockerman, Byron·Manley, Tara E.·Gardner, Myles W.·Lareau, Richard·Brady, John·Sweat, Melissa·Smith, Alan R.·Hargather, Michael J.·Beaudoin, Stephen
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Abstract

We report the detection of trace amounts of explosive materials is critical to the security at mass transit centers (e.g., airports and railway stations). In a typical screening process, a trap is used to probe a surface of interest to collect and transfer particulate residue to a detector for analysis. The collection of residues from the surface being probed is widely viewed as the limiting step in this process. A multi-institutional study was performed to establish a methodology for the evaluation of sampling media collection efficiencies. Dry deposited residues of 1,3,5-trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), C-4 (an RDX-based explosive), and pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) were harvested from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic, ballistic nylon (NYL), and uncoated aluminum surfaces using muslin, Texwipe cotton, and stainless-steel mesh traps. Transfer and collection efficiencies of the sample media were calculated based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Dry transfer efficiencies (DTE%) to all tested surfaces were greater than 75%, with transfer to ABS plastic being the lowest. Collection efficiency (CE%) varied significantly across the traps and the surfaces, yet some conclusions can be drawn; nylon had the lowest CE% for all cases (~10%), and the stainless steel mesh had the lowest CE% for the evaluated traps (~20%). Though the testing parameters have been standardized among the participants to establish a framework for an independent comparison of contact sampling media and surfaces, substantial variations in the DTE% and the CE% were observed, suggesting that other variables can affect contact sampling.

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37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRYC-4PETNRDXcontact samplingenergetic particles residuetrace explosives

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Novosselov, Igor V., Coultas-McKenney, Caralyn A., Miroshnik, Leonid, Kottapalli, Kalyan, Ockerman, Byron, Manley, Tara E., Gardner, Myles W., Lareau, Richard, Brady, John, Sweat, Melissa, Smith, Alan R., Hargather, Michael J., Beaudoin, Stephen. 2021-06-29. Trace explosives sampling for security applications (TESSA) study: Evaluation of procedures and methodology for contact sampling efficiency. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2021.122633

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