{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,26]],"date-time":"2026-03-26T14:18:51Z","timestamp":1774534731694,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]],"date-time":"2026-03-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1774396800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The detection of plastic explosives in vapor form is extremely challenging due to the very low volatility of their primary components, such as RDX and PETN. To overcome this limitation, volatile chemical markers like 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane (DMNB) are added to explosive formulations to enable indirect vapor detection. This study presents a rapid method for detecting and quantifying DMNB vapors using a handheld ion mobility spectrometer (IMS) operating near ambient temperature, ammonia-doped and equipped with a non-radioactive corona discharge ionization source. The instrument, model LCD-3.2E (Smiths Detection Ltd.), is based on a twin drift\u2013cell time-of-flight configuration and simultaneously records ion mobility spectra in both positive and negative modes. DMNB generated distinct product ion peaks in both modes, with reduced mobility values (K0) of 1.42 cm2V\u22121s\u22121 (positive) and 1.37 cm2V\u22121s\u22121 (negative). The method demonstrated high sensitivity, with limits of detection calculated at 1.4 ppbv (10.2 \u00d7 10\u22123 mg m\u22123) in positive mode and 3.1 ppbv (22.7 \u00d7 10\u22123 mg m\u22123) in negative mode. The IMS system provided rapid responses within seconds and covered a quantifiable concentration range of 5\u20133000 ppbv, with saturation estimated to appear above approximately 5 ppmv (36.6 mg m\u22123). The simultaneous dual-polarity response of the DT IMS enhances both the selectivity and reliability of identification. These findings confirm the capability of portable IMSs for fast trace vapor detection in DMNB, supporting its application in field-based screening scenarios such as luggage inspection or container interrogation, where indirect detection of plastic explosives is required.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s26072047","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]],"date-time":"2026-03-25T13:57:34Z","timestamp":1774447054000},"page":"2047","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Rapid Detection and Quantification of DMNB Vapors Using a Handheld Ion Mobility Spectrometer Operated near Ambient Temperature"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0836-1049","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Victor","family":"Boco\u0219-Bin\u021bin\u021ban","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Environmental Science & Engineering, Babe\u0219-Bolyai University, Str. F\u00e2nt\u00e2nele nr. 30, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania"},{"name":"SC Transcend SRL, Str. Arinilor nr. 13, 400568 Cluj-Napoca, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0872-0876","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tom\u00e1\u0161","family":"Rozsypal","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence Institute, University of Defence, Vita Nejedleho 1, 68201 Vyskov, Czech Republic"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-4770-3677","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alin-Gabriel","family":"Moraru","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Environmental Science & Engineering, Babe\u0219-Bolyai University, Str. F\u00e2nt\u00e2nele nr. 30, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-3593-140X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria-Paula","family":"Boco\u0219-Bin\u021bin\u021ban","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Calea M\u0103n\u0103\u015ftur 3-5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9862-6735","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Adrian","family":"P\u0103tru\u021b","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Babe\u0219-Bolyai University, Str. Arany J\u00e1nos nr. 11, 400028 Cluj-Napoca, Romania"},{"name":"Raluca Ripan Institute for Research in Chemistry, Babe\u0219-Bolyai University, Str. F\u00e2nt\u00e2nele nr. 30, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4927-4905","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Petri\u0219or","family":"P\u0103tra\u0219cu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Strategic Department, \u201cCarol I\u201d National Defence University, \u0218os. Panduri nr. 68-72, 050662 Bucharest, Romania"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"515","DOI":"10.1016\/S0039-9140(00)00565-8","article-title":"A critical review of ion mobility spectrometry for the detection of explosives and explosive related compounds","volume":"54","author":"Ewing","year":"2001","journal-title":"Talanta"},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"(2025, July 05). Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives for the Purpose of Detection. 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