Fiber Optic Coupled Grazing Angle Probe- Ftir for Detection of 2, 4, 6-Trinitrotoluene on Non Traditional Surfaces

Explosives detection is a very important task for National Security. The formidable task includes development of new probes and methods for detection of concealed explosives; Fiber Optic Coupled Grazing Angle Infrared Spectroscopy has been used as potential technique to develop new methodology for detection of explosives on surfaces. The methodology is remote sensed, in situ and can detect nanograms of the compounds. Smearing technique and thermal inkjet (TIJ) technology are used for transferring the target analyte on the substrates to be used as standards. In this research smearing was used as sample transfer method. One of the most relevant areas of investigation is to analyze 2, 4, 6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) on different non traditional surfaces such as plastic. A series of statistical methods can be used for detection and quantification: Surface detection by area calculated and Surface detection by PLS; a regression is an extension of multiple linear regression models. By using peak areas in the range from 1380 to 1273 cm-1, the method was not linear for loading concentration higher than 5.00 µg/cm2. The loading concentration of 0.62mg/cm2 was considered as limit of quantification and 0.16 mg/cm2 as limit of detection. The method promises to be an excellent methodology in areas of National Defense and Security for contamination detection. The focal point of the program is detection of explosives such as TNT for Defense and security applications.