Infrared Method for the Determination of Alpha (2-4-6), Beta (2-3-4), Gamma (2-4-5) Trinitrotoluene and 2–4 Dinitrotoluene in Admixtures Such as Found in TNT Exudates

Abstract

An infrared method has been developed for the determination of alpha, beta, gamma Trinitrotoluene (TNT) and 2–4 Dinitrotoluene (DNT) in admixture. The method has been applied to synthetic mixtures where the alpha TNT ranged from 70 to 94% and the beta TNT, gamma TNT and 2–4 DNT each ranged from 2 to 10%. The average differences between the values found and the true values were as follows: Alpha TNT — 1.24% Beta TNT — 0.23% Gama TNT — 0.19%; 2–4 DNT — 0.08%. The method involves making absorbance measurements of a 25% solution of the sample in benzene at the peaks of the 9.23, 9.36, 11.57 and 12.44 micron bands which are respectively those of alpha TNT, 2–4 DNT, gamma TNT and beta TNT. The measured absorbances, after being corrected for solvent and cell absorbance, were calculated to percent of alpha, beta, gamma TNT and 2–4 DNT by the method of successive approximations.