NEWBURY PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-The zNose chemical sensor has a proven capability to detect a liquid bomb called TATP and its related chemical components—in addition to detection of conventional explosives—says Dr. Teong C. Lim, President and CEO of Electronic Sensor Technology, Inc., zNose's manufacturer.
The recent global alert of the terrorists' planned attack on international passenger airlines in London indicated that the bomb ingredients they were using in the planned attacks was tri-cycloacetone peroxide (TATP). This crystalline material can be produced from common acetone, peroxide, and sulfuric acid, yet it has the explosive power of RDX. zNose has a long proven record of detecting these ingredients either in a finished TATP chemical form or its component, acetone, with a sensitivity of parts per billion (10 (-9)) in less than ten seconds. TATP is a relatively volatile explosive and readily produces vapors which can be detected by the zNose. The most publicized account of TATP usage was that of Richard Reid, the shoe bomber, but TATP is often used by Hamas "human" bombers in Israel. Further detail on the subject is available here.
Electronic Sensor Technology's product is currently distributed worldwide including Middle East, China and Europe for various applications such as security, environmental monitoring and petrochemical plant safety.