Quantitative Comparison of Trace Organonitrate Explosives Detection by GC-MS and GC-ECD2 Methods with Emphasis on Sensitivity

Abstract

Quantitative analysis of organonitrate explosive standards was performed by gas chromatography (GC) with dual electron capture detection (ECD2) and electron-impact ionization quadrupole mass spectrometry (EI-MS) in selected ion monitoring (SIM) detection mode. A comparison of method conditions and performance parameters, including minimum detectable limit (MDL) by compound, is presented in this technical note. The GC-ECD2 method shows an improved 30–250X sensitivity to dinitroaromatics, trinitroaromatics and RDX, in clean noise-limited backgrounds, and the GC-MS method reveals a sensitivity increase of 2–1 0X to high volatility mononitroaromatics, the ability to detect target analytes in complex matrices, and identify unknown compounds by mass-to-charge determination.