SEPARATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF ORGANIC GUNSHOT AND EXPLOSIVE CONSTITUENTS BY MICELLAR ELECTROKINETIC CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORESIS

Micellar electrokinetic capillary electrophoresis (MECE) provides rapid and efficient separation and detection of organic gunshot and explosive consitituents. Twenty-six of these constituents were separated in under 10 min with efficiencies in excess of 200 000 theoretical plates. The effects of the following experimental parameters were studied: sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) concentration, pH, addition of a tetraalkylammonium salt, capillary diameter, and injection times. The presence of gunshot residues in spent ammunition casings and the composition of six reloading powders and four plastic explosives were determined by using the MECE method. Multiple-wavelength analysis provided UV spectral profiles of the constituents for use with selective wavelength monitoring.