Lois Larson
In the wake of heightened security checks at airports, many travellers have wondered about the science behind the detection of explosives in airports. Airports use chromatography, a branch of separation chemistry, to detect bombs. This involves swabbing a person's clothes and baggage to test for explosives. The swab picks up molecules which are then separated using gas chromatography. This process is also used to detect a wide range of prohibited substances.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To detect bombs and explosives |
| How it works | Separation of a sample into its component parts |
| Types | Gas chromatography (GC), liquid chromatography (HPLC), size exclusion chromatography, capture chromatography |
| Sample collection | Swabbing of clothes, baggage, and possessions |
| Detection methods | GC, GC-MS, mass spectrometry, optical spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, chemical analysis, ion mobility spectrometers |
| Benefits | Automatic detection, rapid results, high accuracy, reduced false positives |
| Limitations | Requires skilled operators, not suitable for all bags or passengers |
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What You'll Learn
Gas chromatography is used to detect bombs
Gas chromatography (GC) is a technique used to separate a mixture of substances into its individual components. It was invented by a team of researchers led by Martin and James at the University of Chicago in the early 1950s.
GC is one of the most common branches of chromatography, along with liquid chromatography (HPLC). It is particularly useful for analysing substances that are gases or volatile liquids, such as petrochemicals, plant oils, and chemical weapons. These compounds are usually non-polar and hydrophobic, meaning they do not mix well with water.
GC is often used in airports as a bomb detection method. After walking through a metal detector, a person's hand luggage may be swabbed to collect molecules for analysis. The swab is then analysed using GC to separate the molecules and identify any traces of explosives. This process can detect explosives in under 20 seconds.
Another method of bomb detection using GC involves the use of "puffer machines" that blow air across a person or bag as they pass through a gate. The air on the opposite side is collected and analysed using GC to detect any traces of explosives. This method does not rely on the identification of suspicious individuals or bags and can be used more broadly.
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Swabs are taken from suspicious bags or people
Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, airport security checks have increased. Physically checking every case and bag is impractical, so automatic detectors are needed. This is where chromatography comes in. Chromatography is a branch of separation chemistry that involves separating a sample into its component parts. There are several branches of chromatography, with gas chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (HPLC) being the most common techniques.
The process of swabbing involves taking a sample of molecules from a person's clothes or possessions. These molecules are then separated using gas chromatography and identified using mass spectrometry. Mass spectrometry allows for the analysis of microscopic amounts of analyte and is considered the world's most accurate set of scales, able to measure the mass of single molecules.
In addition to swabbing, other methods of detection include puffer machines, which blow air across a person or bag and take a sample of the air to run a GC-MS test. This method can automatically detect explosives.
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Puffer machines blow air across a person or bag to detect explosives
Security checks at airports have become more stringent over the past fifteen years, largely due to the terrorist attacks in 2001. While checking every case and bag manually would be impractical, automatic detectors like chromatographic techniques and puffer machines can help.
Puffer machines, also known as explosives trace-detection portal machines, are security devices that detect explosives and illegal drugs at airports and other sensitive facilities. They are used as a complement to traditional X-ray machines. These machines were developed by Sandia National Laboratories in 1997 and have been improved since 2001 by the US Department of Homeland Security.
The machine works by releasing multiple puffs of air at a passenger standing inside the machine, dislodging particles on the person. These particles are then analysed and identified in seconds using IMS or MS technology to detect specific explosive or narcotic compounds. If a substance of concern is found, security personnel are notified by an alarm.
The TSA purchased over 200 puffer machines in 2004, but by 2009, they were removed from airports due to frequent malfunctions caused by dust, humidity, and dirt clogging the sensors. Fumes from jet fuel also created false alarms. Despite the setbacks, the TSA distributed portable trace explosive detectors to all US airports, requiring officers to swab luggage or a person's hands and then feed the swab into a machine to detect bomb-making chemicals.
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Mass spectrometry is used to detect a wide range of prohibited substances
Airports have been using chromatography to detect bombs since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. This involves swabbing a person's clothes and baggage to test for explosives. Gas chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (HPLC) are the most common techniques.
Mass spectrometry is used in conjunction with chromatography to detect a wide range of prohibited substances. It is the most accurate set of scales in the world, capable of measuring the mass of single molecules. The process involves swabbing a person's clothes and possessions, transferring bits of material that the possessions have been in contact with over the past few days onto the swab. The swab is then put into the instrument and heated so that volatile compounds that make up most drugs and explosives evaporate.
Mass spectrometry is the gold standard in forensic drug analysis and is used to detect illicit substances in sports doping control. It is also used to detect molecules in space, such as on the Philae probe and Martian Curiosity rover.
Mass spectrometry has a wide range of applications in everyday life, and one of the most recognised is airport explosive detection. It is also used to detect a wide range of prohibited substances, including drugs. The technique is highly accurate and can identify unknown compounds.
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Chromatography is a branch of separation chemistry
Gas chromatography was invented in the early 1950s by a team of researchers led by Martin and James at the University of Chicago. It is a common technique used in airports to detect bombs. The process involves taking a swab from a suspicious bag or person, which is then analysed by GC. This method can detect explosives in under 20 seconds. Another method is to blow air 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 on it to detect explosives.
Liquid chromatography also has applications in airport security. By changing the mixture of solvents used in the process, the separation of coloured compounds can be improved. This is particularly useful when separating colourless compounds or microscopic amounts of analytes. Mass spectrometry, often used in conjunction with chromatography, is another common technique used in airports to detect explosives. It is considered the world's most accurate set of scales, able to measure the mass of single molecules.
Chromatography has a wide range of applications beyond airport security. For example, pharmaceutical companies use capture chromatography to purify their products. It can also be used to detect cocaine on bank notes. Additionally, chromatography has been used in space to "sniff out" molecules, such as on the Philae probe and Martian Curiosity rover.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, chromatography is used in airports to detect bombs. It is a branch of separation chemistry that helps separate a sample into its component parts.
There are several types of chromatographic separation, but they all involve washing a mixture of materials that need to be separated (the analytes) over a solid material (the matrix), causing the analytes to separate.
In airports, chromatography is used to test clothes and baggage for explosives. This is typically done by swabbing a person's clothes and possessions, transferring bits of material that the possessions have been in contact with onto the swab. The swab is then put into an instrument and heated so that any volatile compounds that make up explosives will evaporate.
