Abstract
Clandestine laboratories [e.g., drug, explosive, or chemical warfare (CW)] can be processed for chemical evidence that identifies the synthetic targets and reaction paths. Further, trace impurities contained in the product constitute a fingerprint that can correlate laboratories, associate distributed product (i.e., a terrorist CW attack) with the production laboratory, or relate various attacks. This phenomenological study evaluates the field and laboratory emission cell (FLEC) for its suitability for sampling volatile attribution signatures. Dissipation of a wide range of attribution signature representatives was studied from a variety of typical building materials using FLEC sampling. Results showed rapid and near complete analyte evaporation from metal, intermediate permanence on Teflon, and strong retention on vinyl tiles. FLEC also proved useful for sampling residues left after dissipation of a sulfur mustard stimulant. In summary, preliminary evaluation of FLEC for forensic attribution applications looks promising. Advantages, practical considerations, and disadvantages of FLEC sampling are discussed.
Highlights
Processing clandestine laboratories by law enforcement personnel is problematic due to the unknown hazards associated with the materials involved
This study examines dissipation from building materials (i.e., Teflon, galvanized sheet steel, and vinyl composition floor tiles) of chemical warfare (CW) agent simulants, active CW agent degradation and/or hydrolysis products, formulation stabilization additives, and general representatives of synthetic starting materials, byproducts, and solvent impurities that may persist in illicit formulations produced in clandestine laboratories
Several amines were included in the study to represent the acid scavengers that are often added to CW formulations as well as to represent basic drugs and their precursors
Summary
Processing clandestine laboratories by law enforcement personnel is problematic due to the unknown hazards associated with the materials involved. The presence of related residues that originate from unreacted reagents, degradation products, side-reaction products, or impurities in the synthetic starting materials or solvents can yield forensic signatures that can be compared to other laboratories to determine whether the production processes are correlated. Upon intentional release of CW agent in a building during a terrorist attack, characteristic attribution signatures will be present. Fingerprinting these signatures will allow correlation to other related attacks, and to the originating clandestine production laboratory. This approach will give clues that can aid tracking and identifying the perpetrator. Work described here is focused principally on CW attribution signatures, the approach is applicable to illicitly produced explosives and drugs
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