Detection of explosives on solid surfaces by thermal desorption and ambient ion/molecule reactions

Abstract

A simple, fast and direct method is presented for detecting traces of solid explosives on cotton swabs or in particulate samples: ions are transferred into a mass spectrometer after thermal desorption and corona discharge chemical ionization in ambient air; specificity is enhanced using ambient ion/molecule reactions or by conventional tandem mass spectrometry. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2005.