Evaluation of the Scent Collection System for Its Effectiveness in Volatile Organic Compound Collection and Use in Canine Training

• Main Author: Sanchez, Claudia L, Ms
• Format: Others
• Published: FIU Digital Commons 2015
• Subjects: explosives; training aid; solid phase micro-extraction; human scent collection system; dynamic and static collection; canine detection; gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/electron capture detector.; Analytical Chemistry; Chemistry
• Online Access: http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/1914; http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2935&context=etd

As a result of increased terrorist activity around the world, the development of a canine training aid suitable for daily military operations is necessary to provide effective canine explosive detection. Since the use of sniffer dogs has proven to be a reliable resource for the rapid detection of explosive volatiles organic compounds, the present study evaluated the ability of the Human Scent Collection System (HSCS) device for the creation of training aids for plasticized / tagged explosives, nitroglycerin and TNT containing explosives, and smokeless powders for canine training purposes. Through canine field testing, it was demonstrated that volatiles dynamically collected from real explosive material provided a positive canine response showing the effectiveness of the HSCS in creating canine training aids that can be used immediately or up to several weeks (3) after collection under proper storage conditions. These reliable non-hazardous training aids allow its use in areas where real explosive material aids are not practical and/or available.