Browsing by Author "Bors, Dana"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Chemical analysis of racing fuels using total vaporization and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS)
    (RSC, 2016-05) Bors, Dana; Goodpaster, John V.; Chemistry and Chemical Biology, School of Science
    The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is the governing body of North American drag racing. As a supervisory agency, NHRA monitors racing fuels for regulatory purposes and quality control. In this paper, total vaporization and mass spectrometry based methods were developed to analyze nitromethane-based and racing gasoline fuels. Total Vaporization Headspace gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TV-HS-GC/MS) was used to quatitate the amount of methanol in nitromethane fuels to verify that the methanol content was at least 10% (v/v). Total vaporization solid phase microextraction gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TV-SPME-GC/MS) was used to qualitatively identify racing gasoline components, which included isopentane, isooctane, toluene, and tetraethyllead.
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    The Detection and Identification of Explosives by Canines and Chemical Instrumentation
    (2022-05) Reavis, Madison Dylan; Goodpaster, John V.; Manicke, Nicholas; Bors, Dana
    With bombings in the United States on the rise for the first time since 2016, the detection and identification of explosives remains of pertinent interest to law enforcement agencies. This work presents two soon-to-be published research articles that focus on the detection and identification of explosives by both chemical instrumentation and canines. The first article, Quantitative Analysis of Smokeless Powder Particles in Post-Blast Debris via Gas Chromatography/Vacuum Ultraviolet Spectroscopy (GC/VUV), utilizes gas chromatography/vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy (GC/VUV) to determine the difference in chemical composition of two smokeless powders in both pre- and post-blast conditions. The compounds of interest in this study were nitroglycerin, 2,4- dinitrotoluene, diphenylamine, ethyl centralite, and di-n-butyl phthalate. Concentration changes between pre- and post-blast smokeless powder particles were determined as well as microscopic differences between pre- and post-blast debris for both smokeless powders in all devices. To our knowledge, this is the first use of GC/VUV for the quantification of explosives. The second article, An Odor-Permeable Membrane Device for the Storage of Canine Training Aids, proposes the use of an odor-permeable membrane device (OPMD) as a standardized storage method for canine training aids. It is hypothesized that the OPMD would minimize cross-contamination between training aids, and that the OPMD could be used for canine training as well as storage. The goal of this research is to use flux and evaporation rate to quantify the explosive odor that escapes from the OPMD compared to unconfined explosives. Preliminary data suggests that there is an exponential relationship between relative boiling point and evaporation rate. It has been determined that compounds with higher boiling points have lower evaporation rates than compounds that have lower boiling points. The materials studied thus far are known odor compounds produced by explosive formulations. These include nitromethane, nitroethane, 1- nitropropane, r-limonene, and toluene.
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    Mapping explosive residues on galvanized pipe bomb fragments using total vaporization solid phase microextraction (TV-SPME)
    (Royal Society of Chemistry, 2015-12) Bors, Dana; Goodpaster, John V.; Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, School of Science
    Solid phase microextraction (SPME) is a popular sampling technique whereby analytes are sorbed to a coated fiber and subsequently desorbed into an analytical instrument. In headspace SPME, analytes partition between the sample, the headspace above the sample, and the SPME fiber coating. In total vaporization SPME (TV-SPME), sample extracts are heated until both the solvent and analytes completely vaporize, whereupon the analytes partition between the vapor phase and the SPME fiber. In this study, TV-SPME using a polyethylene glycol fiber was coupled with fast gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to identify components of double-base smokeless powder (DBSP). Nitroglycerin (NG), diphenylamine (DPA) and ethyl centralite (EC) were separated in under 5 min. For NG, the optimal sample volume (70 μL), extraction temperature (60 °C) and extraction time (20 min) resulted in a method that was over twelve fold more sensitive than traditional liquid injection and with a detection limit below 1 ppb. This method was then used to quantify DBSP residue on post-blast debris from five galvanized steel pipe bombs. The mean concentration of NG on the fragments was 0.25 ppm (w/w). An average of 1.01 mg of NG was recovered from the devices. Finally, the distribution of NG could be “mapped” by tracking the original locations of each fragment within the device. These maps showed that the distribution of NG was far from uniform. In fact, the concentration of the NG on fragments originating from the end caps was several fold higher than in other locations. This finding can help guide the selection of bomb fragments for chemical analyses in real-world scenarios.
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    Mapping smokeless powder residue on PVC pipe bomb fragments using total vaporization solid phase microextraction
    (Elsevier, 2017-07) Bors, Dana; Goodpaster, John V.; Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, School of Science
    Quantitating post-blast explosive residue is not a common practice in crime labs as it is typically not legally relevant. There is value in quantitation, however, if the distribution of residues on Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) can help guide future sample collection and/or method development. Total vaporization solid phase microextraction gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TV-SPME/GC/MS) was used to quantify residues of double-base smokeless powder (DBSP), which includes nitroglycerin (NG), diphenylamine (DPA), and ethyl centralite (EC) on post-blast PVC pipe bomb fragments. The analytical method could separate the three constituents in under 5 min with a detection limit under 1 ppb, which demonstrates high throughput while maintaining high sensitivity. The method was optimized for nitroglycerin, as it is the most indicative of DBSP. The average mass of nitroglycerin recovered from an entire PVC device was 1.0 mg. The average mass of diphenylamine recovered was much lower (24 μg) and only one device had detectable levels of EC. The typical concentration of NG on any given fragment was approximately 15–30 ppm (μg NG/g fragment). However, there was no correlation between the mass of a fragment and the mass of residue upon it. Instead, the residue was distributed such that the highest concentration of residues was found on end cap fragments.
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    Optimisation of recovery protocols for double-base smokeless powder residues analysed by total vaporisation (TV) SPME/GC-MS
    (Elsevier, 2016-09) Sauzier, Georgina; Bors, Dana; Ash, Jordan; Goodpaster, John V.; Lewis, Simon W.; Chemistry and Chemical Biology, School of Science
    The investigation of explosive events requires appropriate evidential protocols to recover and preserve residues from the scene. In this study, a central composite design was used to determine statistically validated optimum recovery parameters for double-base smokeless powder residues on steel, analysed using total vaporisation (TV) SPME/GC-MS. It was found that maximum recovery was obtained using isopropanol-wetted swabs stored under refrigerated conditions, then extracted for 15 min into acetone on the same day as sample collection. These parameters were applied to the recovery of post-blast residues deposited on steel witness surfaces following a PVC pipe bomb detonation, resulting in detection of all target components across the majority of samples. Higher overall recoveries were obtained from plates facing the sides of the device, consistent with the point of first failure occurring in the pipe body as observed in previous studies. The methodology employed here may be readily applied to a variety of other explosive compounds, and thus assist in establishing ‘best practice’ procedures for explosive investigations.