Roberta Aguirre
Airports have been using chromatography to detect bombs since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, where four aeroplanes were hijacked and crashed in the United States. This method of bomb detection relies on the principle that individual components or molecules have a different attraction for the different materials used to carry out the separation. Gas chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (HPLC) are the most common techniques used. GC is often used in conjunction with mass spectrometry (MS), which can be used to identify explosive molecules. This combination of GC and MS is known as GCMS and is used to detect substances in luggage or on human beings.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To detect bombs and explosives |
| Method | Gas chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (HPLC) are the most common techniques. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is also used. |
| Process | A swab is taken from a suspicious bag or person, then analysed by GC. Alternatively, air is blown across a person or bag as it passes through a gate, with a detector on the opposite side that takes a sample of the air and runs a GC-MS. |
| Benefits | Explosives can be detected in under 20 seconds. GC-MS can identify different substances within a test sample. |
| Drawbacks | Requires detection of suspicious persons or bags and cannot be used on every person or bag. |
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What You'll Learn
To detect explosives in luggage or on passengers
Airports have been using chromatography to detect bombs and explosives since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. This method helps to save time, as physically checking every case and bag is not feasible.
One way to detect explosives is by using swab tests. A swab is taken from a suspicious bag or person and analysed using gas chromatography (GC). This method can detect explosives in under 20 seconds. However, it relies on airport security personnel to identify suspicious persons or bags and cannot be used on every passenger and their luggage.
Another method is the use of "puffer machines", which blow air across a person or bag as they pass through a gate. On the opposite side is a detector that takes a sample of the air and runs a GC-MS on it, which can automatically detect explosives. This method can screen a much higher percentage of passengers and baggage.
The swab samples are then usually heated so that the volatile compounds that make up most explosives evaporate. These compounds are separated using gas chromatography. The time it takes for the compounds to pass through the chromatography instrument can give an idea of what compounds are in the sample, but this information is not always definitive.
Mass spectrometry is then used to identify the compounds. This technique is considered the world's most accurate set of scales, potentially able to measure the mass of single molecules. The molecules detected must match several known characteristics of a controlled substance, such as gas chromatography retention time, molecular mass, and several fragment masses, to reduce the incidence of false positives.
Overall, chromatography plays a crucial role in airport security by helping to detect explosives in luggage or on passengers quickly and efficiently, ensuring the safety of air travel.
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To identify unknown substances within a test sample
Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) is a method that combines gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify different substances within a test sample. This method can be used in airport security to detect substances in luggage or on human beings.
GC–MS is used for the analysis of unknown organic compound mixtures. It can be used to identify unknown samples, including material samples obtained from planet Mars during probe missions as early as the 1970s. It is also regarded as a "gold standard" for forensic substance identification because it can perform a 100% specific test that positively identifies the presence of a substance.
In airports, GC–MS can be used to test for explosive residue. During the process, a swab is taken from a suitcase, which picks up chemicals. Air is then blown across the sample, which carries the chemicals away in the air. This air flows through a tube filled with a sand-like substance, which slows down the chemicals as they are carried by the air. Different chemicals are slowed at different rates, so the chemical compounds come out of the tube one at a time. This allows the machine to run the mass spectrometry (MS) step on one chemical compound at a time.
The MS step involves breaking the molecule up and measuring the mass of the different components. Each chemical has a molecular structure, and the mass of its fragments is unique to the substance, similar to a fingerprint. These fingerprints are then compared to fingerprints of known explosives.
GC–MS is a powerful technique used to separate and identify unknown substances within a mixture. The process works by exploiting the different properties of each substance, such as their solubility or their attraction to a stationary phase. This allows each substance to move at a different speed and to a different extent, resulting in a separation of the mixture into its individual components.
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To detect explosives without physical contact
In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001, airport security checks have been tightened. However, physically checking every case and bag is impractical, so automatic detectors are needed. Chromatography, a branch of separation chemistry, is used to detect explosives in airports without physical contact.
Gas chromatography (GC) is one of the most common techniques used. It involves swabbing suitcases and running the swab through a machine that blows air across the sample, carrying the chemicals away in the air. This process can detect explosives in under 20 seconds. However, it relies on the detection of suspicious persons or bags and cannot be used on every individual or piece of luggage.
Another method being explored is the use of "puffer machines." These machines blow air across a person or bag as they pass through a gate, and on the opposite side, a detector analyzes the air sample using GC-MS (gas chromatography/mass spectrometry) to automatically detect explosives.
Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Lincoln Laboratory Biological and Chemical Technologies Group are also working on a new mechanical method to detect concealed explosives. They are using a mass spectrometer to measure explosive vapors, with the goal of creating an operational explosive detection system. This project is sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security.
Additionally, chromatography can be combined with other techniques such as mass spectrometry, ultraviolet or infrared spectroscopy, and ion mobility scanning to improve non-contact screening methods at airports. These techniques help identify components through their ion distribution, optical wavelength absorbance, or fragmentation patterns, enhancing the detection of explosives without physical contact.
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To identify trace elements in materials
Airports use chromatography to detect bombs and explosives. Gas chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (HPLC) are the most commonly used techniques. They are used to separate a sample into its components, which can then be identified and quantified.
Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is an analytical method that combines the features of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify different substances within a test sample. GC-MS can be used to identify trace elements in materials that were previously thought to have disintegrated beyond identification. It can also be used to detect substances in luggage or on human beings.
Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is a powerful analytical technique that combines the separation capabilities of liquid chromatography with the identification and quantification capabilities of mass spectrometry. LC-MS has very high sensitivity and selectivity for identifying mixtures of separated components. It is often used in fields such as chemistry, biology, and medicine.
Mass spectrometry is a technique used to identify different molecules within a test sample. It can be used to detect trace amounts of substances, making it useful for airport security. It is often used in combination with chromatography to increase the accuracy of the results.
Overall, chromatography plays a crucial role in airport security by enabling the detection of trace elements and explosives, thereby enhancing the safety of air travel.
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To reduce the possibility of error in detection
GC can be used in conjunction with mass spectrometry (MS), which measures explosive vapours to understand how to create an operational explosive detection system. This combination is known as GC-MS and allows for a much finer precision of substance identification than either unit used separately. GC-MS can be used to identify unknown samples and detect trace elements in deteriorated materials. It is also used in drug detection, fire investigation, environmental analysis, and explosives investigation.
GC-MS is also used in airport security to detect substances in luggage or on human beings. For example, swab tests can be taken from suspicious bags or persons, with the swab being analysed by GC. GC-MS can also be used to detect explosives residue on packages, luggage, and passenger boarding passes.
Another method of detection is through the use of "puffer machines", which blow air across a person or bag as it passes through a gate. On the opposite side is a detector that takes a sample of the air and runs a GC-MS on it, automatically detecting explosives.
Other methods of detection include ion mobility scanners, which can be used to scan for and pick up trace elements, identifying components through ion distribution. These scanners are quick, simple, and require almost no sample preparation.
Combining chromatographic techniques with other technologies such as mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy, and machine learning can improve non-contact screening methods at airports and reduce the possibility of errors in detection.
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Frequently asked questions
Airports use chromatography to detect bombs and explosives. This involves swabbing luggage and passengers for traces of explosives, which are then analysed using gas chromatography.
Gas chromatography (GC) involves washing a mixture of materials over a solid material, causing the mixture to separate into its component parts. These parts are then analysed and identified.
Mass spectrometry is often used in conjunction with gas chromatography to identify substances. Other methods include infrared spectroscopy and the use of puffer machines, which blow air across a person or bag to detect explosives.
