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THE FORENSIC ANALYSIS OF TRIACETONE TRIPEROXIDE (TATP) PRECURSORS AND SYNTHETIC BY-PRODUCTS
Title
THE FORENSIC ANALYSIS OF TRIACETONE TRIPEROXIDE (TATP) PRECURSORS AND SYNTHETIC BY-PRODUCTS.
Creator
Painter, Kimberly, Sigman, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP) is a primary high explosive that can be synthesized using commercially available starting materials and has grown in use among terrorists over the past several years. Additives present in the precursors were investigated to see if they carry through the TATP synthesis and can be detected in the final product potentially aiding in the identification of the source. Additives identified in the acetones were also identified in pre-blast and in some post-blast samples...
Show moreTriacetone Triperoxide (TATP) is a primary high explosive that can be synthesized using commercially available starting materials and has grown in use among terrorists over the past several years. Additives present in the precursors were investigated to see if they carry through the TATP synthesis and can be detected in the final product potentially aiding in the identification of the source. Additives identified in the acetones were also identified in pre-blast and in some post-blast samples. However, these additives are present in trace quantities relative to the TATP, which coupled with the volatility and short lifetimes of some of the additives in TATP samples limit their detection in pre-blast and post-blast material. TATP prepared with different acids in the laboratory could generally be discriminated by observing the change in composition of the headspace of the samples upon heating and by IMS analysis of the crystals. The analysis of TATP synthesized on a larger scale was compared to the laboratory results of pre-blast material and post-blast debris. As in the laboratory samples, organic additives were also detected in the large-scale pre-blast samples and the identification of the additives in post-blast debris was consistent with the results obtained in the laboratory detonations.
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Date Issued
2009
Identifier
CFE0002942, ucf:47983
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002942
DEVELOPMENT OF REDUCTIVE METAL SYSTEMS FOR THE DEGRADATION OF ENERGETIC COMPOUNDS (TATP, TNT, AND RDX)
Title
DEVELOPMENT OF REDUCTIVE METAL SYSTEMS FOR THE DEGRADATION OF ENERGETIC COMPOUNDS (TATP, TNT, AND RDX).
Creator
Albo, Rebecca, Geiger, Cherie, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Triacetone triperoxide (TATP), a cyclic peroxide explosive, is frequently used by terrorists and amateur chemists due to the ease of synthesis and the availability of reagents. TATP is extremely sensitive to shock, heat, and friction thus a safe and rapid method for treating TATP is needed. The major objective of this dissertation was to develop in situ methodologies that could safely degrade TATP in various field situations using reductive metal systems. The reductive metal systems tested...
Show moreTriacetone triperoxide (TATP), a cyclic peroxide explosive, is frequently used by terrorists and amateur chemists due to the ease of synthesis and the availability of reagents. TATP is extremely sensitive to shock, heat, and friction thus a safe and rapid method for treating TATP is needed. The major objective of this dissertation was to develop in situ methodologies that could safely degrade TATP in various field situations using reductive metal systems. The reductive metal systems tested included zero-valent iron, activated magnesium systems, and magnesium bimetals, such as Mg/Pd. TATP degradation rates with the different reactive systems were calculated to test their effectiveness. The major product for the TATP decomposition was determined as acetone, and a carbon material balance was calculated to determine each reactive system's conversion efficiency. The mechanism of TATP degradation using these reactive metal/bimetal particles was also explored including reaction pathway, intermediates, and activation energies. In addition to investigating the use of zero-valent metals to degrade TATP, studies were also conducted on the use of certain metal and semimetal ionic species. Antimony (III) ions in antimony (III) chloride were found to have the greatest effect on TATP concentration. The Sb3+ was theorized to instantaneously cleave the ring structure of the TATP molecule forming a Sb3+ complex; thus Sb3+systems could be used to successfully treat TATP. In order to treat TATP in the field, the metal and bimetal reactive particles were combined with an application technology, liquid membrane systems, to form emulsified zero-valent metal (EZVM) systems. EZVM systems containing the reactive metal/bimetal particles were made from an organic outer layer, water, and a nonionic surfactant. The EZVM systems were observed to absorb and dissolve the TATP into the emulsion droplets where TATP degradation then occurred. EZVM systems would be ideal for degrading dry TATP residues that might be found on a carpet, door entrance, steel, concrete, plastics, etc. Other studies focused on the use of microscale mechanically alloyed bimetals, particularly Mg/Pd, Fe/Pd, and Fe/Ni, as alternative remediation methods for the catalytic reduction of 2, 4, 6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), and 1, 3, 5-trimethylene-2, 4, 6-trinitramine (RDX). All the bimetals tested were shown to reduce TNT and RDX contamination in water samples, with varying reactivities under ambient reaction conditions. These metal systems could be combined with EZVM or paste treatment systems (bimetallic treatment systems (BTS)) for the in situ treatment of these environmental contaminants.
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Date Issued
2010
Identifier
CFE0003332, ucf:48476
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003332
STUDY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A BLAST LAYER FOR THE VIRTUAL RANGE PROJECT
Title
STUDY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A BLAST LAYER FOR THE VIRTUAL RANGE PROJECT.
Creator
Rosales, Sergio, Sepulveda, Jose, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
In this work we develop a Blast-Propellant-Facility integrated analysis study, which evaluates, by using two different approaches, the blast-related impact of an explosive accident of the Space Shuttle during the first ten seconds after launch at Kennedy Space Center. The blast-related risk associated with an explosion at this stage is high because of the quantity of energy involved in both multiple and complex processes. To do this, one of our approaches employed BlastFX®, a software...
Show moreIn this work we develop a Blast-Propellant-Facility integrated analysis study, which evaluates, by using two different approaches, the blast-related impact of an explosive accident of the Space Shuttle during the first ten seconds after launch at Kennedy Space Center. The blast-related risk associated with an explosion at this stage is high because of the quantity of energy involved in both multiple and complex processes. To do this, one of our approaches employed BlastFX®, a software system that facilitates the estimation of the level of damage to people and buildings, starting from an explosive device and rendering results through a complete report that illustrates and facilitates the evaluation of consequences. Our other approaches employed the Hopkinson-Cranz Scaled Law for estimating similar features at a more distant distance and by evaluating bigger amounts of TNT equivalent. Specifically, we considered more than 500 m and 45,400 kg, respectively, which are the range and TNT content limits that our version of BlastFX® can cover. Much research has been done to study the explosion phenomena with respect to both solid and liquid propellants and the laws that underlie the blast waves of an explosion. Therefore our methodology is based on the foundation provided by a large set of literature review and the actual capacities of an application like BlastFX®. By using and integrating the lessons from the literature and the capabilities of the software, we have obtained very useful information for evaluating different scenarios that rely on the assumption, which is largely studied, that the blast waves' behavior is affected by the distance. All of this has been focused on the Space Shuttle system, in which propellant mass represents the source of our analysis and the core of this work. Estimating the risks involved in it and providing results based on different scenarios augments the collective knowledge of risks associated with space exploration.
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Date Issued
2004
Identifier
CFE0000190, ucf:46171
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000190
DISCRIMINATION OF FORENSIC TRACE EVIDENCE USING LASER INDUCED BREAKDOWN SPECTROSCOPY
Title
DISCRIMINATION OF FORENSIC TRACE EVIDENCE USING LASER INDUCED BREAKDOWN SPECTROSCOPY.
Creator
Bridge, Candice, Sigman, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Elemental analysis in forensic laboratories can be tedious and many trace evidence items are not analyzed to determine their elemental composition. Presently, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) is the primary analytical tool for determining the elemental composition of trace evidence items. However, due to the time it takes to obtain the required vacuum and the limited number of samples that can be analyzed at any one time, SEM-EDS can be impractical...
Show moreElemental analysis in forensic laboratories can be tedious and many trace evidence items are not analyzed to determine their elemental composition. Presently, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) is the primary analytical tool for determining the elemental composition of trace evidence items. However, due to the time it takes to obtain the required vacuum and the limited number of samples that can be analyzed at any one time, SEM-EDS can be impractical for a high volume of evidence items. An alternative instrument that can be used for this type of analysis is laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). While LA-ICP-MS is a very precise and quantitative analytical method that determines elemental composition based on isotopic mass measurements; however, the instrumentation is relatively expensive and therefore is budgetarily prohibitive for many forensic laboratories. It is the purpose of this research to evaluate an inexpensive instrument that can potentially provide rapid elemental analysis for many forensic laboratories. Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is an analytical method that meets these requirements and offers information about the elemental composition based on ionic, atomic and diatomic molecular emissions.
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Date Issued
2007
Identifier
CFE0001957, ucf:47463
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001957
LASER INDUCED BREAKDOWN SPECTROSCOPY FOR DETECTION OF ORGANIC RESIDUES: IMPACT OF AMBIENT ATMOSPHERE AND LASER PARAMETERS
Title
LASER INDUCED BREAKDOWN SPECTROSCOPY FOR DETECTION OF ORGANIC RESIDUES: IMPACT OF AMBIENT ATMOSPHERE AND LASER PARAMETERS.
Creator
Brown, Christopher, Richardson, Martin, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is showing great potential as an atomic analytical technique. With its ability to rapidly analyze all forms of matter, with little-to-no sample preparation, LIBS has many advantages over conventional atomic emission spectroscopy techniques. With the maturation of the technologies that make LIBS possible, there has been a growing movement to implement LIBS in portable analyzers for field applications. In particular, LIBS has long been considered the...
Show moreLaser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is showing great potential as an atomic analytical technique. With its ability to rapidly analyze all forms of matter, with little-to-no sample preparation, LIBS has many advantages over conventional atomic emission spectroscopy techniques. With the maturation of the technologies that make LIBS possible, there has been a growing movement to implement LIBS in portable analyzers for field applications. In particular, LIBS has long been considered the front-runner in the drive for stand-off detection of trace deposits of explosives. Thus there is a need for a better understanding of the relevant processes that are responsible for the LIBS signature and their relationships to the different system parameters that are helping to improve LIBS as a sensing technology. This study explores the use of LIBS as a method to detect random trace amounts of specific organic materials deposited on organic or non-metallic surfaces. This requirement forces the limitation of single-shot signal analysis. This study is both experimental and theoretical, with a sizeable component addressing data analysis using principal components analysis to reduce the dimensionality of the data, and quadratic discriminant analysis to classify the data. In addition, the alternative approach of 'target factor analysis' was employed to improve detection of organic residues on organic substrates. Finally, a new method of characterizing the laser-induced plasma of organics, which should lead to improved data collection and analysis, is introduced. The comparison between modeled and experimental measurements of plasma temperatures and electronic density is discussed in order to improve the present models of low-temperature laser induced plasmas.
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Date Issued
2011
Identifier
CFE0003708, ucf:48843
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003708