Detection of smokeless powder residue on pipe bombs by micellar electrokinetic capillary electrophoresis

Improvised explosive devices are an increasing concern among law enforcemen t agencies within the United States because of their destructive capability . Capillary electrophoresis has been used previously for the forensic analy sis of inorganic constituents in explosives. Micellar electrokinetic capill ary electrophoresis (MECE), also known as micellar electrokinetic chromatog raphy (MEKC), is well suited for the forensic analysis of organic constitue nts of these materials because of its high sensitivity and small sample req uirements. In the present study, pipe bombs filled with known types of smokeless gun p owder were detonated under controlled conditions. Samples of explosive resi due were collected from the post-blast fragments and analyzed using MECE. T he results were compared to the known types and analyzed to investigate the feasibility of matching post-blast residue to a specific powder used as ex plosive charge.