Application of Selected-Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry to the Real-Time Detection of Triacetone Triperoxide

摘要

A fast, efficient, real-time method for the quantitative analysis of the peroxide explosive, TATP, is described. The method utilizes rapid ion-molecule reactions of chemical reagent ions with the vapor above solid TATP. The reactions of three reagent ions (H_(3)O~(+), O_(2)~(+), NO~(+)) were examined. Although all three ions exhibited a near-collision-rate reaction with TATP, only NO~(+) showed product ions that provide unequivocal evidence for a TATP-based explosive. The limit of detection of TATP in the gas phase is 10 ppb (4 X 10~(-10) mol L~(-1)).