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CHARACTERISATION OF EXPLOSIVES' TRACES AFTER AN EXPLOSION - PART 3

NCJ Number
59486
Journal
International Criminal Police Review Issue: 325 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1979) Pages: 38-47
Author(s)
J ELIE-CALMET; H FORESTIER
Date Published
1979
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE DESCRIBES METHODS OF TESTING FOR VARIOUS NITRO ESTERS IN TRACES OF EXPLOSIVES AFTER AN EXPLOSION.
Abstract
THIS IS CHAPTER 3 IN A SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THE SUBJECT OF EXPLOSIVES' TRACES BEING LABORATORY TESTED. THIS CHAPTER DESCRIBES HOW NITRO GLYCOLS CAN BE SEPARATED USING SOLVENT C CONSISTING OF TRICHLOROETHYLENE SATURATED WITH WATER. THE SATURATION SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT ABOUT 8 HOURS BEFORE USE AND THE SATURATED SOLUTION SHOULD BE CLEAR WHEN USED. IN ADDITION TO ITS USE IN CHRONOMATOGRAPHIC SEPARATION OF NITRO GLYCOLS, SOLVENT C CAN BE USED IN ANALYSIS OF ACETONE EXTRACTS CONTAINING OILY OR FLUORESCENT CONSTITUTUENTS, WHEN THE USE OF SOLVENT A RESULTS IN A SPOT, WHEN THE ACETONE EXTRACT CONTAINS A VERY HIGH PROPORTION OF DINITROTOLUENE. SOLVENT D AND ITS APPLICATIONS ARE THEN DISCUSSED. SOLVENT D IS SUITABLE FOR SEPARATING NITRO GLYCOLS AND THE MAIN EXPLOSIVES CHARACTERIZED BY REACTION WITH THE GRIESS REAGENT. SOLVENT E, IN CONTRAST, IS USED TO SEPARATE NITROGLYCERINE FROM THE NITRO GLYCOLS WHEN THE TESTS ARE PERFORMED TO DETERMINE THE PRESENCE OF HEXOGEN AND OCTOGEN. GOOD SEPARATION OF GLYCEROL NITRATES CAN BE OBTAINED USING CHROMATORGRAPHY IN TWO DIRECTIONS. ALSO DISCUSSED ARE THE SEPARATION OF PENTAERYTHRITOL TETRANITRATE, VARIOUS APPLICATIONS OF SOLVENT SYSTEM D, AND CELLULOSE NITRATES. TABULAR DATA ILLUSTRATE THE ARTICLE. (MJW)