Automated Analysis of Explosives in Soil Samples

There are a large number of explosives-contaminated sites in the US, Europe, and Asia. High levels of explosives in soil can threaten the health of humans, livestock, and wildlife. A number of remediation efforts are underway, which require the analysis of explosives in soil samples. Recently, a new technique was introduced the allows the automated supercritical extraction and SFC analysis of samples with minimal sample preparation and handling requirements to save analyst time and sample preparation expenses. This technique was applied to the analysis of explosives in soil samples and showed good recoveries of the explosives tested in a number of different soil samples. Automated analysis of up to 48 samples is possible without the need for manual sample preparation to allow quick screening of explosives in numerous soil samples.