Quantitative Comparison of Trace Organonitrate Explosives Detection by GC-MS and GC-ECD2 Methods with Emphasis on Sensitivity

Quantitative analysis of organonitrate explosive standards was performed by gas chromatography (GC) with dual electron capture detection (ECD2) and electron-impact ionization quadrupole mass spectrometry (EI-MS) in selected ion monitoring (SIM) detection mode. A comparison of method conditions and performance parameters, including minimum detectable limit (MDL) by compound, is presented in this technical note. The GC‐ECD2 method shows an improved 30‐250X sensitivity to dinitroaromatics, trinitroaromatics and RDX, in clean noise-limited backgrounds, and the GC‐MS method reveals a sensitivity increase of 2‐10X to high volatility mononitroaromatics, the ability to detect target analytes in complex matrices, and identify unknown compounds by mass-to-charge determination.