Title of Invention	" AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR EXPLOSIVES DETACTION AND IDENTIFICATION"
Abstract	This invention relates to an improved kit for use for the detection and identification of explosives/ propellants based on nitroesters nitrocellulose and /or nitroglucerine. The kit has essentially not more than three chemical react ants of which one reactant is essentialloy an amine reactant ,

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The present invention relates to an improved process for explosive detection and identification. The use of explosives by criminal and terrorist activities is increasing at an alarming rate. The targets chosen are civilian or military installations and populated areas. The attacks in most cases involve explosives based on nitro-esters, nitramines, tri-nitro-toluene etc., or on combination thereof, comprising of more than one group of basic explosive chemicals, or explosive devices known in the art, and such uses lead to large scale destruction and heavy casualties. This necessitated a method for screening of suspected objects, which in turn may itself be an explosive device or may carry an explosive material, which in turn may be of chemical in nature, chemical explosives known in the art are like nitroester based, nitramine based, tri-nitro-toluene based etc. or based on combinations thereof, comprising of more than one group of basic explosive chemicals. It is important 1o detect the type and exact nature of the explosive used in such explosive objects and/or devices, and also the need to detect the type and exact nature of explosive used in such explosive devices and/or objects from the debris, when the explosion has taken place to select the strategy to destroy the detected explosive objects and/or device. Under later circumstances the unreacted explosive materials, which are in turn essentially chemical in nature, as stated herein above and usually present in traces, are highly contaminated with various types of debris such as wood, metal pieces and dirt. The detection of explosive materials, under such circumstances in particularly in exploded areas, is highly tedious and very time consuming exercise, because the sampling has to be made from a large area in large numbers. The detection of explosive material is generally accomplished by the help of trained dogs. The disadvantage of this method of known art is that, the dogs require an elaborate and expensive system of training, and yet another drawback of this technique is that, the dogs are not always reliable, also dogs can not identify the group of chemicals explosive or individual chemicals explosive used in the manufacture of such explosive devices and/or objects. Hence, making it difficult to decide on the strategy to destroy such explosive devices and/or explosive objects made up of explosive materials, which are in-turn chemical in nature. The another method of identification of the explosives is the use of explosive detectors. The disadvantage of this method is that there are only a limited number of explosive detectors known at present, and this in-turn again limits their application in limited area. Yet another drawback of this method is that the known explosive detectors are highly expensive and hence, limit their wide applications. Still another drawback of such detectors is that these are electronics based and are dependent on batteries, the failure of any such system is obvious and hence, again limits their use. Yet another method of explosive material identification from exploded and unexploded site is by the use of explosive detection kits. The known such kits for the explosive detections comprises of basic raw materials, which inturn are chemical in nature These raw materials are mixed and reacted with the suspected samples collected from exploded or unexploded site. The chemical reactions thus taking place, results in the formation of coloured derivatives of the chemicals present in the collected suspected samples of explosives. The main disadvantages of presently known such kits for explosive detection is that, these are multireagent kits and the final reagents requires to react with the suspected samples, as stated here-in above. The reagent is required to be prepared freshly and precisely by accurately weighing the quantities of the starting reagents, precisely called reactants. Yet another disadvantage of known such kits for explosives detection is that, the chemical reactions involved in the said processes are multistep and hence highly time consuming. Still another drawback of the kit s known in the prior art is that the whole multireagents or precisely called multireactants are allowed to react on the same suspected sample one after one, hence, making the whole process resulting in final explosive detection not only highly time consuming, but also highly tedious arid inconvenient and in some cases are misleading. Still further disadvantage of the kits known in prior art for explosives detection is that these are suitable for identification of group of explosive chemicals, and in some cases these can only identify one group of chemicals explosive by same multistep chemical reaction. Hence, the presently known such kits for the said purpose are not suitable to identify the individual chemicals explosive. The said disadvantages of known such kits for said purposes makes them limited in their application and wide use in addition to being highly uneconomical. An object of the present invention to propose an improved kit for explosion detection and identification as stated hereinabove, and to overcome the disadvantages and drawbacks of the known such kits of the prior art. The object of the present invention is to propose an improved kit for explosive detection and identifications, which in turn is highly time saving, convenient, and suitable to identify the only one group of the explosive chemicals at one time and as well as individual explosive chemicals in particular cases by formation of the specific colour derivatives of the individual or only one group of explosive chemicals. Yet another object of the present invention is to propose for an improved kit for explosive detection and identification comprising a one step chemical reaction of the ready to use reactants with the suspected samples, herein after to be referred as starting reactant from suspected site. Still an object of the present invention is to propose an improved kit for explosive detection and identification, wherein the chemical reaction can be carried out on glass plate or porcelain plate or even on hands or anybody part contaminated with explosive and/or propellant chemicals even in the field conditions in the shortest sequence of chemical spot reactions under preferably all environmental conditions. According to this invention an improved process for explosive detection and identification there is provided based on nitroesters characterized by single step identification of explosive chemical comprising of three chemical reactants of which one of the reaclant is amine reactant, the second reactant is Nesseler's reagent and the third reactant is thymol. According to main preferred embodiment of the present invention, the presently disclosed improved kit comprises essentially of not more than three reactants, reacting individually with independent batch of starting reactant, which inturn is the sample of explosive chemical drawn from exploded aad/or unexploded site, and resulting in formation of specific colour derivative of the suspected explosive chemical, based un the specific chemical reaction between the individual specific reactanl of the proposed kit and the starting reactant from the suspected site. According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention the presently disclosed kit comprises of any two or all the three reactants of which at least one is amine reactant, essentially is aliphatic amine, particularly ethylene diamine, herein after to be named as EDA, second reactant is thymol, particularly crystalline thymol, herein after to be named as TH and the third reactant is nessler's reagent, herein after to be named as NR. Still according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, an aqueous solution of EDA, preferably 60% water and 40% EDA. The TH reactant is crystalline thymole, particularly thymol crystals preferably dissolved in concentrated sulphuric acid and NR is as known in the art. According to preferred procedure of the present invention the starting reactant is divided into three batches and allowed to react individually with each of the reactant of the proposed kit on any surface, particularly on watch glass or porcelain plate or even on hand or any contaminated body part at normal temperature and pressure conditions. The advantages of the proposed kit of the present invention and the method of reaction of the said reactants of the said kit are that the whole chemical process for explosive detection and identification completes simultaneously on all the two or three batches of the starting reactant within few minutes preferably upto maximum of five minutes at normal temperature and pressure conditions preferably under all environmental conditions, involving single step chemical reaction in each batch of suspected reactant and the reactant of the proposed kit, hence the process being highly time saving, convenient and economical. The further objects, embodiments and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following working examples of the present invention when read in conjunction with the foregoing description. According to the present invention the suspected reactant, as stated herein above, is directly divided into two or three batches, essentially not more than three batches, each of 2 mg to 10 mgs, preferably 3 mg to 5 mg. Each batch is allowed to react individually and simultaneously with not more than one reactant of the proposed kit, for preferably two minutes, to yield the specific colour derivative of the suspected explosive chemical. The colour derivative can be used to identify the suspected explosive chemical. The theoretical samples of explosives/propellants based on nitroesters and nitramines, particularly NC and/or NG and also comprising of nitramines, particularly CTMTN and/or TNPMN were prepared and reacted with reactants of the presently disclosed kit according to the preferred procedure of the present invention. EXAMPLE 1 The suspected explosive/propellant comprising of NC, NG, CTMTN and TNPMN prepared according to the known procedure was divided into three batchs of 3 mg each, taken on the porcelain plate and are numbered as 1,2 and 3. 3 to 4 drops each of 70% aqueous solution of EDA, of NR and of acidic solution of crystalline thymol are allowed to react individually and simultaneously with sample numbers 1, 2 and 3 respectively. The yield of orange red derivative on reaction of EDA solution with suspected reactant in sample number 1 confirms presence of nitramine particularly TNPMN. No reaction of explosive reactant with EDA reactant of the proposed kit in reaction under step number 1, indicates absence of all, particularly of TNPMN. The yield of red derivative on reaction of NERSLER'S REAGENT solution with suspected reactant in sample number 2 again confirms presence of nitramine particularly TNPMN and no reaction indicates absence of all, particluarly TNPMN. The yield of green derivative on reaction of THYMOL acidic solution wilh suspected reactant in sample number 3, confirms presence of nitroesters, particularly of NG and NC, and of nitramine, particularly of TNPMN. The presence of TNPMN has already been detected and identified on chemical reaction of starting reactant with NR and EDA reactants of the proposed kit and yielding red derivative and orange red derivative respectively. If there is no reaction under step number 1, then, yield of green derivative under step number 3 confirms presence of only nitroester, particularly of NC and NG. The yield of the red derivative on chemical reaction of starting reactant and TH reactant of the proposed kit in reaction under step number 3 confirms presence of CTMTN. It is clear from the foregoing example that the suspected explosives/propellants based on nitra mines particularly NC and/or NG and also comprising of nitramines particularly CTMTN and/or TNPMN could be completely detected by the proposed kit in more than three, one step and simultaneous chemical reactions being completed in not more than five minutes. I CLAIM: 1. An improved process for explosive detection and identification based on nitroesters characterized by single step identification of explosive chemical comprising of three chemical reactants of which one of the reactant is amine reactant, the second reactant is Nesseler's reagent and the third reactant is thymol. 2. An improved process as claimed in claim 1 wherein one of the said reactants is amine reactant, essentially the said aliphatic amine reactant being ethylene diamine. 3. An improved process as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein said ethylene di-amine is aqueous solution is aliphatic amine in the ratio of 40% aliphatic amine and 60% water. 4. An improved process for said purpose, as claimed in claim 1 wherein said third reactant is thymol dissolved in concentrated sulpheric acid. 5. An improved process as claimed in claims 1 to 4 wherein the said starting reactant from unexploded or exploded site is reacted separately and simultaneously with said reactant of said kit in separate batches on said surface at normal temperature and pressure preferably under all environmental conditions for preferably 3 minutes involving single step reaction, to yield the said colour derivatives as reaction products of said explosives constituents. 6. An improved process as claimed in claims 1 to 5 wherein said suspected reactant is taken directly in the range of 2 mg to 10 mg, preferably 3 mg to 5 mg in not more than three batches, and each said batch is allowed to react with preferably 3 to 4 drops of said reactants individually and simultaneously of said kit. 7. An improved process for explosive/propellant detection substantially as herein described. Reference has been directed in pursuance of Section 19(1) of the Patent Act, 1970 to Patent application No. 524/Del/96 and 346/Del/96.

Documents:

523-del-1996-abstract.pdf

523-del-1996-claims.pdf

523-del-1996-complete specification (granted).pdf

523-del-1996-correspondence-others.pdf

523-del-1996-correspondence-po.pdf

523-del-1996-description (complete).pdf

523-del-1996-form-1.pdf

523-del-1996-form-19.pdf

523-del-1996-form-2.pdf

523-del-1996-form-3.pdf

523-del-1996-gpa.pdf