Identification of Absorption Spectrum for IED Precursors Using Laser Photoacoustic Spectroscopy

Among the many commonly encountered hazards, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) remain the primary threat to military and civilian personnel due to the ease of their production and the widespread availability of their raw materials and precursors. Identifying traces of potential precursors is the first step in developing appropriate control measures. An interesting approach is to identify the precursors that are released around the site as they are handled and transformed into the final IEDs. CO2 laser photoacoustic spectroscopy can offer the spectral characterization of a number of explosives-related compounds without sample preparation. Benzene, toluene, acetone, and ethylene glycol absorption spectra were determined in the IR region between 9.2 and 10.8 mu m. Each substance emitted a unique photoacoustic response corresponding to its chemical composition that could be further used to identify the explosive material.