System and method for explosives detection

• US 20050101027A1
• Filed: 11/07/2003
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BBC International Limited (BBC International LLC)
• Original Assignee: BBC International Limited (BBC International LLC)
• Inventors: Haas, Jeffrey S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,252,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/109
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 31/22 using chemical indicators G01N31/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/227 Explosives, e.g. combustive properties thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/172307 Cyanide or isocyanide

Abstract

The system and method for explosives detection may be used for detecting the presence of explosive elements. A testing device may have a case with a cover. A sample holder may be disposed in the case for receipt of a sample element and may have a sample retainer. The sample element may have a swipe pad attached to a backing element a heater may be disposed in the sample holder wherein the heater may be below the swipe pad adjacent the backing element when the sample element may be positioned in the sample holder. The heater may be in communication with an electric power source. The case may have a plurality of cavities formed therein for receipt of a plurality of fluid containers. The plurality of fluid containers may have at least a first reagent fluid and a second reagent fluid.

Claims

1. A system for detecting the presence of explosive elements comprising:

a testing device having a case with a cover;

a sample holder disposed in said case for receipt of a sample element and having a sample retainer;

said sample element comprising a swipe pad attached to a backing element;

a heater disposed in said sample holder wherein said heater will be below said swipe pad adjacent said backing element when said sample element is positioned in said sample holder;

said heater in communication with an electric power source;

said case having a plurality of cavities formed therein for receipt of a plurality of fluid containers; and

said plurality of fluid containers having at least a first reagent fluid and a second reagent fluid.

2. The system as in claim 1 wherein said heater may be raised in temperature from ambient to approximately 150°

C. in 30 seconds time.

3. The system as in claim 1 wherein said swipe pad is approximately a circular shape with a diameter of approximately 0.75 inches and a thickness of approximately 0.002 inches to 0.005 inches.

4. The system as in claim 1 wherein said swipe pad is constructed of a woven continuous filament polyester material.

5. The system as in claim 1 wherein said swipe pad is constructed of a roughened material that is:

resistant to each of said reagent fluids degradation over a pH range of approximately 1 to 14, heat resistant from 0°

C. to 150°

C., and hydrophilic for each of said reagent fluids.

6. The system as in claim 5 wherein said roughened material is a woven fiber material that is white in color.

7. The system as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of fluid containers each having a fluid dispensing apparatus.

8. The system as in claim 7 wherein said fluid dispensing apparatus includes a pump.

9. The system as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of fluid containers each having a closure for opening to dispense a reagent fluid from said fluid container.

10. The system as in claim 1 wherein said first reagent fluid is a solution of a tetrabutylammuonium hydroxide, an ethanol and a water.

11. The system as in claim 1 wherein said second reagent fluid is a solution of a phosphoric acid, a sulfanilic acid, an N-(1-naphthyl) ethylenediamine dihydrochloride and a water.

12. The system as in claim 10 wherein said first reagent fluid comprising:

a tetrabutylammonium hydroxide in a water solution, from 0.1 to 1.53 Molar; and

an ethanol, from 5 to 95 percent of said water solution.

13. The system as in claim 10 wherein said first reagent fluid comprising:

a tetrabutylammonium hydroxide in a water solution, from 0.5 to 1.5 Molar; and

an ethanol, from 25 to 50 percent of said water solution.

14. The system as in claim 10 wherein said first reagent fluid comprising:

a tetrabutylammonium hydroxide in a water solution, from 0.7 to 0.9 Molar; and

an ethanol as 35 percent of said water solution.

15. The system as in claim 11 wherein said second reagent fluid comprising:

a phosphoric acid in a water solution, from 0.1 to 7.35 Molar; and

a sulfanilic acid of 8 grams and a N-(1-naphthyl) ethylenediamine dihydrochloride of 5 grams per 1000 milliliters of said phosphoric acid in said water solution.

16. The system as in claim 11 wherein said second reagent fluid comprising:

a phosphoric acid in a water solution, from 0.5 to 2.5 Molar; and

a sulfanilic acid of 8 grams and a N-(1-naphthyl) ethylenediamine dihydrochloride of 5 grams per 1000 milliliters of said phosphoric acid in said water solution.

17. The system as in claim 11 wherein said second reagent fluid comprising:

a phosphoric acid in a water solution, from 1.3 to 1.7 Molar; and

a sulfanilic acid of 8 grams and a N-(1-naphthyl) ethylenediamine dihydrochloride of 5 grams per 1000 milliliters of said phosphoric acid in said water solution.

18. The system as in claim 10 wherein said first reagent fluid having less than 0.2 nanogram of a nitrite per microliter of fluid.

19. The system as in claim 11 wherein said second reagent fluid having less than 0.2 nanogram of a nitrate per microliter of fluid.

20. The system as in claim 1 wherein said swipe pad has an approximately circular shape of approximately 0.75 inch diameter and an approximate thickness of 0.002 to 0.005 inches.

21. The system as in claim 1 wherein said swipe pad is formed of a woven approximately 100 percent continuous filament virgin polyester material.

22. A method for detecting the presence of explosive elements comprising:

swiping an object to obtain a test sample using a sample element having a swipe pad;

placing said sample element in a sample holder in a testing device and retaining said sample element with a sample retainer;

applying a first reagent fluid from a fluid retainer on said swipe pad;

activating a heater disposed under said sample element;

heating said swipe pad to a temperature to activate said first reagent fluid with said test sample;

viewing said swipe pad to observe any color change in said test sample;

applying a second reagent fluid from a second fluid retainer on said swipe pad; and

viewing said swipe pad to observe any color change in said test sample.

23. The method as in claim 22 wherein said temperature is approximately 150°

C.

24. The method as in claim 22 wherein said swipe pad has an approximately circular shape of approximately 0.75 inch diameter and an approximate thickness of 0.002 to 0.005 inches.

25. The method as in claim 24 wherein said swipe pad is formed of a woven approximately 100 percent continuous filament virgin polyester material.

26. The method as in claim 24 wherein approximately 50 microliters of said first reagent fluid and said second reagent fluid are applied to said swipe pad.