Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 18 No 1 (2014): 68 – 77

 

 

 

FORENSIC ANALYSIS OF HIGH EXPLOSIVE RESIDUES FROM SELECTED CLOTH

 

(Analisis Forensik Residu Bahan Letupan Berkuasa Tinggi Daripada Kain Terpilih)

 

Mohamad Afiq Mohamed Huri and Umi Kalthom Ahmad*

 

Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science,

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zi, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: umi@kimia.fs.utm.my

 

 

Abstract

Increased terrorist activities around the Asian region have resulted in the need for improved analytical techniques in forensic analysis. High explosive residues from post-blast clothing are often encountered as physical evidence submitted to a forensic laboratory. Therefore, this study was initiated to detect high explosives residues of cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) and pentaerythritoltetranitrate (PETN) on selected cloth in this study. Cotton swabbing technique was employed as a simple and rapid method in recovering analytes from the sample matrix. Analytes were analyzed using Griess spot test, TLC and HPLC. TLC separation employed toluene-ethyl acetate (9:1) as a good solvent system. Reversed phase HPLC separation employed acetonitrile-water (65:35) as the mobile phase and analytes detected using a programmed wavelength. RDX was detected at 235 nm for the first 3.5 min and then switched to 215 nm for PETN. Limits of detection (LODs) of analytes were in the low ppm range (0.05 ppm for RDX and 0.25 ppm for PETN). Analyte recovery studies revealed that the type of cloth has a profound effect on the extraction efficiency. Analytes were recovered better for nylon as compared to cotton cloth. However, no analytes could be recovered from denim cloth. For post-blast samples, only RDX was detected in low concentration for both nylon and cotton cloth.

 

Keywords: high explosive residues, RDX, PETN, HPLC-UV, cotton swabbing, cloth

 

References

1.       Ahmad, U. K. and Heng, K. K., (2007). Solid Phase Microextraction-Gas Chromatography for the Analysis of Explosives in Post Blast Water Samples, J. Teknologi C., 46 (c): 59-74.

2.       Varga, R., and Ulbrich, P. (2004). Some Experience with Trace Analysis of Post-explosion Residues, AARMS 3 (4): 633-646.

3.       Ladham, S., Koehler A. S., Woods P., Huston R., Dominick J., Fotchman W. F., and Wecht H. C. (2005). A Case Of A Death By Explosives: The Keys To A Proper Investigation. J. Clin. Forensic Med,. 12(2): 85-92.

4.       Royds, D., Lewis S. W., and Taylor A. M. (2005). A Case Study In Forensic Chemistry: The Bali Bombings. Talanta. 67(2): 262-268.

5.       Sharma, M., Khajja B. S.,Vashistha, K. N., Bairwa, T., Sharma, S., Srivastava, S., and Mathur, G. K. (2010). Trace Evidence Crack a Suicide Proved Homicide: A Case Study. J. Forensic Res, 1:103.

6.       Mäkinen, M., Nousiainen M., and Sillanpää M. (2011). Ion Spectrometric Detection Technologies for Ultra-Traces of Explosives: A review. Mass Spectrometry Reviews. 30(5): 940-973.

7.       Yinon, J. and Zitrin, S. (1981). The Analysis of Explosives. England: Pergamon Press Ltd. 59-118.

8.       Calderara, S., Gardebas, D. and Martinez, F. (2003). Solid Phase Micro Extraction Coupled With On-Column GC/ECD for the Post-Blast Analysis of Organic Explosives. Forensic Sci. Int.,137: 6-12.

9.       Umi Kalthom Ahmad, Noor Hidayat Abu Bakar & Shaikh Abdul Adziz Shaikh Abdullah, Analysis of C4 Explosive Residues On Post Blast Hair Samples (2012). Jurnal Teknologi, 57 (Sains & Kej.) Keluaran Khas (1), Mac: 163–171.

10.    Ahmad, U. K., Rajendran, S., Ling, L. W., and Hooi, Y. C. (2008). Forensic Analysis of High Explosive Residues in Post-Blast Water Samples Employing Solid Phase Extraction for Analyte Pre-Concentration. Malays. J. Anal. Sci., 367-374.

11.    Miller, C., Elias G., Schmitt N. C., Rae C. (2010). Identification of Explosives from Porous Materials: Applications Using Reversed Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography and Gas Chromatography. Sensing and Imaging: An Int. J. 11(2): 61-75.

12.    Saferstein, R. (2004). Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Science, 9th Ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

13.    Nurul Nuwaida Muhammad Salim (2006). Analisis Forensik bagi Bahan Letupan Menggunakan Ujian PetandaWarna dan Kaedah Kromatografi Lapisan Nipis. UniversitiTeknologi Malaysia: Bachelor of Science (Industrial Chemistry) Project Report.

14.    Beverige, A. (1998). Forensic Investigation of Explosions. Boca Raton, London: CRC Press.

15.    Ahmad, U. K., Rajendran, S., and Hassan A. S. (2008). Forensic Analysis of Explosive Residues from Hand Swabs, Malays. J. Anal. Sci., 25-31.

16.    James S.H. and Nordby J. J., (2005), Forensic Science – An Introduction to Scientific and Investigative Techniques, Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press.

17.    Thompson, R. Q., Fetterolf, D. D., Miller, M. L. and Mothershead, R. F. (1998) Aqueous Recovery From Cotton Swabs of Organic Explosives Followed by Solid Phase Extraction, J. Forensic Sci., 795-804.

18.    Bell, S. (2006). Forensic Chemistry, New Jersey, USA: Prentice Hall.

19.    Banas, K., Banas, A., Moser, H. O., Bahou, M., Li, W., Yang, P., Cholewa, M., and Lim, S. K. (2010). Multivariate Analysis Techniques in the Forensics Investigation of the Postblast Residues By Means of Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy. Anal. Chem., 82: 3038-3044.