Explosive Detection
which are then collected, concentrated pressure explosives like RDX and
and analysed by the instrument. Sniffer HMX, which need particle collection to
dogs can also be deployed to hunt out enable detection. In general, most
vapours and particles. vapour sniffing systems, only allow for
minimal vapour collection and
Advantages & Disadvantages therefore, detection of a small list of
Both swabbing and sniffing have their volatile, explosive compounds, such
pros and cons. Swabbing is particularly as TNT.
effective at removing particles from
small areas. However, there are Differing Technologies
numerous disadvantages to swabbing too. Acro is a developer of explosive
It is a manually intensive method, and detection solutions and has
involves rigorous contact. It is also developed two pen-like explosive
subjective to each operator and thus is not detectors – the ‘ACRO-P.E.T’ (Peroxide
reproducible. Swabbing does not probe the Explosive Tester) and ‘ACRO-N.E.T’
entire surface or interior of a suspect (Nitro Explosive Tester). The devices
object, and only collects particulates. work by touching the suspected
Explosive vapours are not collected surface or material with rubber tips
by swabbing, creating an unbalanced from the device. By doing so, varying
level of collection efficiency for the amounts can be collected, which also
range of threat explosives screened includes liquids. The device is very
for. Cloth swabs, for example, are sensitive, down to amounts of 5µg;
good at collecting explosive particles; this is a quantity that’s not visible to
however, they do not easily allow for the naked eye. Both devices give an
thermal desorption, the process used answer in about 30 seconds.
to remove these particles from the Professor Ehud Keinan is one of the
swab for further analysis and world’s foremost experts in the science
identification in an instrument. of improvised explosives; he is a
Sniffing is advantaged in that it has member of Acro’s board of directors and
the capability to collect both explosive the company’s chief scientific advisor. ACRO-N.E.T – Acro’s Nitro Explosive Tester
vapours and particles. An elementary “It took more than 10 years to develop
hand-held explosive detection system this technology and it’s been designed have at the moment are not designed for
only collects vapour. However, to be idiot-proof, for want of a better the multiple-screenings of people. They
advanced systems can collect phrase. We can detect TATP with the are one-time detectors and disposable
particles from the human body. ‘ACRO-P.E.T’ and we have had to adapt items. We are now developing
Systems that only collect vapours are to cope with the threat of liquid something for multiple detections and
generally unable to detect low vapour explosives. But the products that we testing, and also a sniffer. This is a
device for the remote detection of
peroxide-based explosives.”
The Israeli-developed Mini-Nose™,
from Scent Detection Technologies, is a
portable, hand-held, highly-sensitive
ETD, which digitally recreates the
mammalian olfactory processes for
trace and particle detection. It is
capable of detecting nanogram levels of
explosive traces by particle swabbing
and/or sniffing. The hand-held unit is
swiped across the suspected surface
and then transferred to an analyser for
results in up to 15 seconds. On the
surface of each sensor is a chemical
coating which is sensitive to different
families of explosives molecules.
The novel technology at the heart of this
device is also simple to upgrade and can
‘learn’, so to speak, improvised
substances; this means that it can adapt to
any new threats.
The technology employed within the
Sampling with the Mini-Nose
TM
from SDT Mini-Nose™ is based on High-Frequency
Aviationsecurityinternational December 2007 www.asi-mag.com 17
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