Storage and decomposition of pure and clandestine recipes of peroxide explosives

Abstract

The storage of triacetone triperoxide (TATP) and diacetone diperoxide (DADP) samples in forensic laboratories can be a complicated topic. Storing bulk materials in a safe manner typically does not prevent cross-contamination of odor and storage of solutions presents issues of stability. Further,the presence of impurities or contaminants can increase the rate of degradation for TATP. The current studyanalyzed headspace and solution samples of clandestine recipes of TATP over time to determine how impure samples may degrade in storage. Three clandestine syntheses of TATP,laboratory-grade TATP and DADP samples were analyzed. First, headspace samples of TATP and DADP were analyzed using both whole air injections and SPME-GC–MS. Clandestine TATP contained higher levels of impurities than the laboratory-grade samples, but all headspace samples degraded within a month of storage in Tedlar sampling bags. Next, analyses of each sample stored in acetonitrile were performed over 23 weeks using DART-MS. Hydrochloric acid (HCl), a TATP precursor and possible precursor of chlorine-containing compounds found in the samples, was detected in each sample initially but not at later sampling times. However, the presence of HCl was not a reliable indicator of the future presence or absence of other chlorine-containing compounds. Finally, SPME-GC–MS samples of co-stored TATP batches were tested. These samples were stored according to safety protocols. However, deuterated TATP was detected in small amounts in each of the samples. These results suggest that costored samples of highly volatile explosives are subject to cross-contamination of odor.