Erythritol Tetranitrate (ETN) is an improvised explosive that has been recently integrated into explosive detector canine (EDC) training in the United States. The odor profile for ETN has not been well characterized, preventing the development of representative training aids and best training practices. Here, the headspace composition of ETN was characterized for the first time using thermal desorption gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (TD-GC–MS). The TD parameters, sorbent materials, and microchamber settings used for headspace sampling were optimized. The odor profile of ETN under ambient conditions was determined from two separately synthesized ETN samples to contain ETN, nonanoic acid, and an unidentified compound attributed to the erythritol precursor. A Tenax degradation product (2,4-ditertbutyl-6-nitro-phenol) was also detected in each sample indicating the likely release of NO2 from ETN and contribution to its headspace composition. Furthermore, various chemicals unrelated to the synthetic preparation of ETN were detected and identified as contaminants due to storage conditions of each sample, indicating the tendency of the ETN samples tested to absorb volatiles from its surroundings. Additional compounds were detected in the headspace of ETN (triethyl phosphate, nonanoic acid, 2-ethyl hexanoic acid) but were unable to be attributed to a source. The odor profile reported herein can serve as a baseline to evaluate ETN EDC standards and generalization while the TD-GC–MS methods presented can be used by other laboratories to characterize newly synthesized ETN samples, develop and validate of alternative ETN K9 training aids, and assess contamination of ETN K9 training aids due to storage or frequent use.
扫码关注我们
求助内容:
应助结果提醒方式:
