A High Performance Liquid Chromatographic (HPLC) Study of Seven Common Explosive Materials

Abstract

Abstract High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) can be used to analyze many types of forensic science evidence. Residue of explosives collected at the scene of an explosion is one of those types of evidence that is suited to HPLC analysis. HPLC will be used to separate nitroglycerine (NG), ethyleneglycoldinitrate (EGDN), cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX), cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine (HMX), pentaerythritoltetranitrate (PETN), 2, 4, 6,-trinitrotoluene (TNT), and 2, 4, 6,-trinitrophenylmethylnitramine (tetryl). The minimum detectable limits for each of these explosives will be discussed considering variables such as extraction solvent and detector wavelength. Reports of analysis on standard solutions, spiked materials, and actual explosive debris will be included.