An Explosive Detection System Based on Biological Principles

There are currently no established hand-held methods for accurately detecting bulk explosives. Explosives and related compounds, however, exhibit a range of volatilities, suggesting that the best, and perhaps only, method for rapidly detecting them is bydetecting their molecules released into the air. Typical analytical chemistry instruments are not appropriate for this task due to their size and weight, as well as lack of rapid, real-time response. We have developed a new portable sensor array devicefor rapidly detecting and identifying volatile compounds in the environment. It actively samples ambient air through sniffing, identifies odorants in near real-time, and can be trained to recognize a range of target odorants. The device is sensitive tothe TNT precursor dinitrotoluene (a compound associated with TNT landmines) in the air at concentrations below 500 parts per trillion. Field tests indicate that the device can detect, and discriminate from complex backgrounds, the vapor signature ofburied landmines. The objectives of the research proposed here are to test the ability of the device to detect additional explosive-related compounds alone and in various backgrounds, to field test the device to demonstrate explosives detection in situ,and to design a small, light-weight hand-held version of the device. Funding from this SBIR will be used to finalize designs for a small, light andrelatively low cost hand-held explosive detection device. The device will be initially marketed to the armed forces for mine detection and also later offered to humanitarian organizations concerned with land mine removal. An obvious and early additionalapplication will be for remediation of other UXO at military bases. Also, the device will have application for screening personnel and baggage, both for military and domestic security.