Photofragmentation of nitro-based explosives with chemiluminescence detection.

A simple, fast, reliable, sensitive and potentially portable explosive detection device was developed employing laser photofragmentation (PF) followed by heterogeneous chemiluminescence (CL) detection. The PF process involves the release of NO(x(x = 1,2)) moieties from explosive compounds such as TNT, RDX, and PETN through a stepwise excitation-dissociation process using a 193 nm ArF laser. The NO(x(x = 1,2)) produced upon PF is subsequently detected by its CL reaction with basic luminol solution.