Recent Advances in Ion Mobility Spectrometry for Explosives Vapor Detection

The detection of explosives with ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) using reactant ion (background) subtraction techniques and chloride ion/molecule reaction chemistry is discussed. Data are presented for dinitrotoluene (DNT), trinitrotoluene (TNT), RDX (cyclonite), Composition B, and dynamite. Using a membrane inlet system, a man-portable IMS detector system is described which can be used as a point sampler with these techniques.