August 11, 2006 Lethal and Wet Its Not Hard to Use Fluids to Cause an Explosion on a Plane, Chemists Say By KENNETH CHANG and WILLIAM J. BROAD NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/11/world/europe/11liquid.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print Of the hundreds of types of explosives, most are solid and only about a dozen are liquid. But some of those liquid explosives can be readily bought, and others can be put together from hundreds of different kinds of chemicals that are not hard to obtain. A memo issued by federal security officials about the new plot highlighted a type of liquid explosive based on peroxide. The most common peroxide explosive is triacetone triperoxide or TATP, which is made from two liquids: acetone, the primary ingredient of most nail polish removers, and hydrogen peroxide, commonly used as an antiseptic when diluted. TATP, which can be used as a detonator or a primary explosive, has been used in Qaeda-related bomb plots and by Palestinian suicide bombers. TATP itself is a white powder made up of crystals that form when acetone and hydrogen peroxide are mixed together, usually with a catalyst added to speed the chemical reactions. But there is no need to wait for the crystals. Acetone and peroxide is an exceedingly reactive mixture that can be easily detonated by an electrical spark, said Neal Langerman, president of Advanced Chemical Safety, a consulting company in San Diego. Acetone is easy to obtain, hydrogen peroxide somewhat harder. The hydrogen peroxide solution sold in pharmacies is too dilute, only 3 percent, to be used in an explosive. Stronger hydrogen peroxide of 30 percent concentration can be ordered from chemical supply companies, but concentrations strong enough to generate a powerful explosion, about 70 percent, are not readily available, Dr. Langerman said. But acetone mixed with a 30 percent peroxide solution could still set off a fire that might burn through the aluminum skin of an airliner and cause it to crash, Dr. Langerman said. All of them are highly energetic, he said of the various chemical combinations. It doesnt take much to punch a hole in the side of a plane, and if you punch a hole in the side of a plane, the plane comes down. In theory, scientists know how to detect peroxide-based explosives. The challenge will be to design machines that can perform the scans quickly and efficiently on thousands of passengers passing through security checks. It will not be easy as the swab tests we are using for nitrogen compounds right now, Dr. Langerman said. Other common liquid explosives, like nitroglycerine and nitromethane the fuel of dragster race cars contain nitrogen compounds, so it may be possible to adjust current scanning machines to detect them. Robert M. Blitzer, a former F.B.I. terrorism official now at ICF International in Fairfax, Va., said the bureau had worried for more than 15 years about the possibility of liquid explosives on airliners. We were very concerned about any form of explosive material, including liquids and gels, he said. But after the Sept. 11 attacks, worries about solid explosives became the main concern. Given that, it is not surprising that terrorists turned to liquids in this latest plot, said Jimmie C. Oxley, an expert on the chemistry of explosives at the University of Rhode Island who has advised federal officials. It was not seen as the threat, she said. Now that the terrorists have staked out our vulnerabilities, thats where the threat has gone, and well have to respond. But, once new equipment gets into airports to lessen the threat of liquid explosives, Dr. Oxley said, terrorists will look for the next vulnerability. ================================ George Antunes, Political Science Dept University of Houston; Houston, TX 77204 Voice: 713-743-3923 Fax: 713-743-3927 antunes at uh dot edu Reply with a "Thank you" if you liked this post. _____________________________ MEDIANEWS mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
