Chemical security

Software for Hazardous Chemicals Identification Developed

Edinburgh University scientists have developed a software technique for detecting hazardous chemicals which could boost homeland security and illicit substance detection. The software instantly analyses the breakdown of complex chemical mixtures.

A security officer with a handheld device known as a Raman spectrometer can point a laser at a suspicious package or substance, which then measures reflected light and beams it to a computer, giving a reading. The new software then translates this to give an accurate description of all the chemicals used. Previous software was only able to identify a single chemical at a time. Mike Davies, professor of signal and image processing at the university’s school of engineering, said that the technique was a “particularly powerful tool” which could be used to detect chemicals used in improvised explosives or for giving accurate analysis of substances used in counterfeit drugs.