Identification of fuel oil in absorbent surfaces In a site of ANFO blasts
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Date
2011
Authors
Hamdan, Hidayatul Hazwani
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Pusat Pengajian Sains Perubatan, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
ANFO was identified as one of the most common explosives found in a crime
scene. They are often mixed at different ratios by a non - professional user to create
an explosion. Thus, the aim of this research study is to serve as a preliminary study to
investigate on how far can fuel oil travels at different ANFO mixing ratios.
Five different ANFO mixing ratios (94:6, 90: 10, 80:20, 60:40, and 50:50)
were used in this study. Six selected absorbent surfaces commonly found at an
explosion scene were placed at the distances of 5 m, 7 m, and 9 m radius from the
blasting point. The selected absorbent surfaces were collected and analyzed for the
presence of fuel oil using GCMS.
The results show that fuel oil residues can travel as far as 7 m with the ideal
mixture of 94:6. For the mixture of 90: 10 and 50:50, the fuel oil residues can travel as
far as 5 m. The fuel oil residues were detected at 7 m distance but not 5 m distance for
the mixture of 80:20. When mixing at the ratios of 60:40 and 50:50, explosion did
occur but the fuel oil residues were undetected at the distance farther than 5 m.
This ANFO blasting research study indicated that fuel oil could be identified
and detected in the absorbent surfaces at the ANFO blasting site. After the blast, the
fuel oil could travel to some distances depend upon the proportions and quantities of
ANFO.
Description
Keywords
Fuel Oil