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Fulton AC, Katilie CJ, Giordano BC. Nitrogen carrier gas for the separation of trace explosives on CI-GC/MS. ANALYTICAL METHODS : ADVANCING METHODS AND APPLICATIONS 2023; 15:4044-4048. [PMID: 37539487 DOI: 10.1039/d3ay00701d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Fluctuations in ultra high purity (UHP) helium supply has the potential to negatively impact critical research efforts. Disruptions have increased significantly with suppliers prioritizing delivery to medical facilities. Due to the greater demand for helium, supply issues are likely to continue through the coming years. Many gas chromatography (GC)-based analytical methods rely on the supply of UHP helium, including those developed for the quantification of trace explosives. Vapor validation is critical in establishing sensor performance, limits of detection, and instrument performance. An alternate carrier gas must be established to maintain these critical functionalities. To circumvent the UHP helium disruptions, UHP nitrogen was explored as a replacement carrier gas in negative mode chemical ionization-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (CI-GC/MS). Although, hydrogen is considered an acceptable alternative to helium in most GC-based separations, its' use as a replacement was omitted due to reactivity resulting in degradation of the CI-MS detector and incompatibility with the programmable temperature vaporization inlet on the GC used in this work. Herein discusses the method development of nitrogen carrier gas in the separation of an explosives mixture. Adjustments in flow rate, initial oven temperature, and ramp rate were made to achieve comparable analysis to that of helium. By lowering the flow rate and initial oven temperature peak resolution and sensitivity increased when using nitrogen carrier gas. Development of this method allows for continual laboratory output in times of helium scarcity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley C Fulton
- American Society for Engineering Education Post-Doctoral Fellow, Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave., SW, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Braden C Giordano
- Naval Research Laboratory, Chemistry Division, Code 6181, 4555 Overlook Ave., SW, Washington, DC, USA.
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2
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Fulton AC, Vaughan SR, DeGreeff LE. Non-contact Detection of Fentanyl by a Field-portable Ion Mobility Spectrometer. Drug Test Anal 2022; 14:1451-1459. [PMID: 35419977 DOI: 10.1002/dta.3272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Rapid on-site detection of fentanyl is paramount for the safety of law enforcement and other first responders. Due to the opioid epidemic, death by overdose is at an all-time high with fentanyl adulteration as the main assailant. Providing a user-friendly method for the presumptive detection of fentanyl will increase safety for first responders. Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) provides a quick, affordable, and accurate method for detecting fentanyl. Currently, most methods for detecting fentanyl requires manipulation or handling of the highly potent substance. A recent comparative analysis study on the headspace of fentanyl determined N-phenylpropanamide (NPPA) a target analyte for fentanyl enabling vapor detection. Here, we demonstrate the development of a handheld IMS method for vapor detection of the target analyte for fentanyl. An alarm was programmed into the handheld IMS device for the detection of NPPA. The system was able to accurately detect NPPA in samples of reference-grade fentanyl and diluted reference-grade fentanyl, as well as 3.67 mg of fentanyl from samples confiscated from the U.S. border. Common adulterants and over-the-counter drugs were tested and resulted in a false alarm rate of 0 for substances sampled. The limit of detection was determined to be as low as 5 ng of NPPA. Overall, the development of this user-friendly, non-contact method has considerable promise for near real-time non-contact detection of fentanyl increasing safety of first responders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley C Fulton
- American Society for Engineering Education post-doctoral fellow at the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Stephanie R Vaughan
- National Research Council post-doctoral fellow at the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, United States
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3
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Simon AG, Van Arsdale K, Barrow J, Wagner J. Real-time monitoring of TATP released from PDMS-based canine training aids versus bulk TATP using DART-MS. Forensic Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forc.2021.100315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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4
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Mullen M, Katilie C, Collins GE, Giordano BC. Empirical determination of explosive vapor transport efficiencies. Analyst 2021; 146:5124-5134. [PMID: 34269775 DOI: 10.1039/d1an00984b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The transport efficiency of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT), 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazinane (RDX) trace vapors through tubing materials that commonly constitute vapor handling infrastructures have been determined for a variety of tubing dimensions and sampling conditions. Using a programmable temperature vaporization inlet coupled with a gas chromatography mass spectrometer (PTV-GC-MS), the explosive vapors were quantified both with and without a length of tubing of a specific material in the sampling flow path. At vapor temperatures of 30 °C and 66 °C, minimal attenuations were observed for 2,4-DNT and TNT vapor concentrations when the tubing material was in-line with the sampling flow path, indicating that the transport is largely unaffected by interactions with the surface of the tubing materials. In contrast, RDX vapors showed large attenuations as a function of both sampling conditions and tubing materials/dimensions. For those experiments where attenuated RDX vapor transport was observed, the mass sequestered by interactions between the flowing vapor and the internal tubing surface was determined to be in the range of tens to hundreds of picograms. Of all the materials examined for RDX transport, fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) tubing resulted in the least amount of mass loss to surface interactions, with vapor transport efficiencies (VTEs) between 95-100%. However, for some materials, the combination of tubing dimensions and sampling conditions resulted in no RDX transport, even after sampling more than 250.0 L of vapor through the tubing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Mullen
- NRC Post-Doctoral Fellow, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. 20375, USA
| | | | - Greg E Collins
- Chemistry Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. 20375, USA.
| | - Braden C Giordano
- Chemistry Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. 20375, USA.
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Quantitative vapor delivery for improved canine threshold testing. Anal Bioanal Chem 2020; 413:955-966. [PMID: 33219448 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-020-03052-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The canine olfactory system is a highly efficient and intricate tool often exploited by humans for detection for its many attributes, including impressive sensitivity to trace analyte vapors. Canine detectors are often touted as having lower limits of detection, or olfactory detection threshold (ODT), than other field-relevant detection technologies; however, previous attempts to quantify canine ODTs have resulted in reported estimates spanning multiple orders of magnitude, even for the same analyte. A major contributor to these discrepancies is the vapor delivery method used for testing, where losses due to adsorption and dilution are often unaccounted for, and the presence of unattended compounds in the vapor stream due to carryover may go unnoticed. In this research, a trace vapor generator (TV-Gen) was used to deliver quantitatively accurate amounts of vapor reproducibly over time for canine testing. Analyte losses due to adsorption to surfaces in the flow path, dilution in the sniff port at the outlet, and analyte carryover were considered. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modeling was used to visualize analyte vapor spread throughout the port. CFD simulations revealed the need for a diffuser to encourage the diffusion of the analyte throughout the port. As a result, the modified vapor generator provides analyte air as a diffuse flow that is evenly distributed through the custom sampling orifice, as opposed to a narrow stream of air at the chosen concentration which exits directly into the environment. Laboratory validations were carried out for three analytes, amyl acetate, 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT), and methyl benzoate. A linear response across more than two orders of magnitude vapor concentration range was achieved for all analytes. These efforts will be applied in further research utilizing this TV-Gen vapor delivery system for canine ODT testing, eliminating many quantitative changes seen previously. Graphical abstract.
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Giordano BC, DeGreeff LE, Malito M, Hammond M, Katilie C, Mullen M, Collins GE, Rose-Pehrsson SL. Trace vapor generator for Explosives and Narcotics (TV-Gen). THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2020; 91:085112. [PMID: 32872913 DOI: 10.1063/1.5142385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The Trace Vapor Generator for Explosives and Narcotics (TV-Gen) is a portable and compact instrument designed to deliver a continuous source of trace-level vapors and vapor mixtures. It provides a tool to assist in the independent validation and verification of new materials and sensors under development for the vapor detection of explosives and narcotics. The design was conceived for use with a broad range of analytes, detection systems, materials, and sensors and to switch easily between the clean and analyte vapor streams. The TV-Gen system utilizes nebulization of aqueous analyte solutions, an oven to promote efficient transport, and a control box that provides dedicated computer control with logging capabilities. Resultant vapor streams are stable over several hours, with the vapor concentration controlled by a combination of aqueous analyte solution concentration, liquid flow rate through the nebulizer, and volume flow rate of air through the TV-Gen manifold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Braden C Giordano
- Chemistry Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20375, USA
| | - Lauryn E DeGreeff
- Chemistry Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20375, USA
| | - Michael Malito
- Nova Research, Inc., 1900 Elkin St., Suite 230, Alexandria, Virginia 22308, USA
| | - Mark Hammond
- Chemistry Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20375, USA
| | - Christopher Katilie
- Nova Research, Inc., 1900 Elkin St., Suite 230, Alexandria, Virginia 22308, USA
| | - Matthew Mullen
- National Research Council, 500 Fifth St., NW, Washington, DC 20001, USA
| | - Greg E Collins
- Chemistry Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20375, USA
| | - Susan L Rose-Pehrsson
- Chemistry Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20375, USA
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Klapec DJ, Czarnopys G, Pannuto J. Interpol review of detection and characterization of explosives and explosives residues 2016-2019. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2020; 2:670-700. [PMID: 33385149 PMCID: PMC7770463 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2020.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
This review paper covers the forensic-relevant literature for the analysis and detection of explosives and explosives residues from 2016-2019 as a part of the 19th Interpol International Forensic Science Managers Symposium. The review papers are also available at the Interpol website at: https://www.interpol.int/Resources/Documents#Publications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas J. Klapec
- United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Forensic Science Laboratory, 6000 Ammendale Road, Ammendale, MD, 20705, USA
| | - Greg Czarnopys
- United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Forensic Science Laboratory, 6000 Ammendale Road, Ammendale, MD, 20705, USA
| | - Julie Pannuto
- United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Forensic Science Laboratory, 6000 Ammendale Road, Ammendale, MD, 20705, USA
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Non-target analysis of vapor mixtures using silicon nanowire array sampling and thermal desorption. J Chromatogr A 2020; 1618:460938. [PMID: 32081486 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2020.460938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
This work presents and evaluates an algorithmic approach to deconvolving the elution profiles of chemical components of vapor mixtures that have been sampled and desorbed from a novel preconcentrator based on highly ordered silicon nanowire arrays. The arrays provide a medium for both preconcentration and partial chromatographic resolution, which is then further leveraged with multichannel detection. Here, mixtures of nitro aromatic vapors are sampled and then thermally desorbed from the device, at which point they are detected by a conventional mass selective detector. The overlapping elution profiles observed from the array are sequentially extracted using a chemometric analysis approach based on evolving factor analysis and multivariate curve resolution by alternating least squares, enabling qualitative and quantitative analysis of individual components without target analyte libraries or complete chromatographic separation. This work examines the analytical capabilities conferred to multichannel detection by silicon nanowire array pre-concentration and partial separation and discusses the technique's limitations, illustrated by both experimental and simulated data.
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Part per quadrillion quantitation of pentaerythritol tetranitrate vapor using online sampling gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A 2019; 1603:407-411. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2019.05.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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10
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Giordano BC, Ratchford DC, Johnson KJ, Pehrsson PE. Silicon nanowire arrays for the preconcentration and separation of trace explosives vapors. J Chromatogr A 2019; 1597:54-62. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2019.03.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Calvo-Gredilla P, García-Calvo J, Cuevas JV, Torroba T, Pablos JL, García FC, García JM, Zink-Lorre N, Font-Sanchis E, Sastre-Santos Á, Fernández-Lázaro F. Solvent-Free Off-On Detection of the Improvised Explosive Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP) with Fluorogenic Materials. Chemistry 2017; 23:13973-13979. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.201702412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - José García-Calvo
- Department of Chemistry; Faculty of Science; University of Burgos; 09001 Burgos Spain
| | - José V. Cuevas
- Department of Chemistry; Faculty of Science; University of Burgos; 09001 Burgos Spain
| | - Tomás Torroba
- Department of Chemistry; Faculty of Science; University of Burgos; 09001 Burgos Spain
| | - Jesús-Luis Pablos
- Department of Chemistry; Faculty of Science; University of Burgos; 09001 Burgos Spain
| | - Félix C. García
- Department of Chemistry; Faculty of Science; University of Burgos; 09001 Burgos Spain
| | - José-Miguel García
- Department of Chemistry; Faculty of Science; University of Burgos; 09001 Burgos Spain
| | - Nathalie Zink-Lorre
- Organic Chemistry Area; Institute of Bioengineering; Miguel Hernández University; 03202 Elche, Alicante Spain
| | - Enrique Font-Sanchis
- Organic Chemistry Area; Institute of Bioengineering; Miguel Hernández University; 03202 Elche, Alicante Spain
| | - Ángela Sastre-Santos
- Organic Chemistry Area; Institute of Bioengineering; Miguel Hernández University; 03202 Elche, Alicante Spain
| | - Fernando Fernández-Lázaro
- Organic Chemistry Area; Institute of Bioengineering; Miguel Hernández University; 03202 Elche, Alicante Spain
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