Munitions Detector
High-Performance Liquid Chromotographic (HPLC) detector for conventional and novel munitions
Inventors at the Environmental Laboratory at ERDC have developed a high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) streamlined method for detecting, identifying, and quantifying munitions compounds or munitions materials. The technology simultaneously detects newer explosives called insensitive munitions explosives (IMX) along with conventional munitions compounds such as 2,4,6-TNT in a single column analysis.
Current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) testing methods do not test for 3 out of 4 newer IMX constituents. This breakthrough HPLC method detects, separates, and quantifies IMX constituents and legacy compounds in a single column. This technology also provides analytical evaluation of soil samples, aqueous samples such as ground water samples, and tissue samples containing IMX. ERDC’s streamlined munitions detector reduces analysis time and solvent time yielding faster results, thus lowering costs and increasing safety.
Benefits:
- Fast: Reduces analysis time and yields results quickly
- Accurate: Can detect traditional TNT and IMX explosives at the same time in soil, water, or tissue samples
- Low-cost: Provides cost savings by reducing solvent use
- Comprehensive: Simultaneously detects NQ, NTO, DNAN, and RDX
- Streamlined: Uses a single HPLC column rather than multiple columns
Applications:
- Military (e.g., bases, command centers, expeditionary forces)
- Law enforcement (e.g., investigative units)
- EPA
- HAZMAT management
- Homeland security (e.g., explosive threats, border patrol)
