Characterization of explosives in a controlled blast chamber using single-particle mass spectrometer for post-blast particle analysis

The detection and characterization of post-blast residues is critical for forensic attribution, explosive safety assessments, and environmental monitoring. In this study, five high explosives, HMX, TNT, Composition B, HNS, and PETN, were detonated under controlled chamber conditions and analyzed in Read More …

Chemists develop contactless system to detect Fentanyl, explosives and other harmful substances

A system that detects trace levels of fentanyl, cocaine, explosives and other harmful substances through the air has been created by researchers at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. New test results of a device based on the Read More …

Lebanon: Batteries of walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah contained PETN explosive

The batteries of the walkie-talkies used by Lebanese armed group Hezbollah that blew up this week were laced with a highly explosive compound known as PETN, a Lebanese source familiar with the device’s components told Reuters. The way the explosive Read More …

Technology Catching Up with Bomb-Sniffing Dogs

With each terrorist attack on another airport, train station or other public space, the urgency to find new ways to detect bombs before they’re detonated ratchets up. Chemical detection of explosives is a cornerstone of aviation security. Typically called “trace Read More …

Bomb-sniffing ‘cyborg locusts’ advance under Navy-funded research

Navy-funded researchers have discovered that a locust’s sensitive “horns” can distinguish between the scents of TNT and other explosives — a development that one day could herald the deployment of bomb-sniffing, electronically augmented bug swarms. The research by a team Read More …

Can next-generation bomb ‘sniffing’ technology outdo dogs on explosives detection?

With each terrorist attack on another airport, train station or other public space, the urgency to find new ways to detect bombs before they’re detonated ratchets up.Chemical detection of explosives is a cornerstone of aviation security. Typically called “trace detection,” Read More …