Abstract: A kit for detecting nitroaromatic, organic nitrate, nitramine, inorganic nitrate, and chlorate and bromate explosives is characterized by the fact that for the detection of an inorganic nitrate, a reagent is used which comprises zinc powder suspended in a liquid comprising at least one water-miscible organic solvent, while for the detection of chlorates or bromates, a reagent is used which comprises an aniline salt in a homogeneous strongly acidic solution including at least one water-miscible organic solvent.

Abstract: In a color reaction method for detecting particular classes of explosives, a sample from a suspect source is subjected serially to the indicated reagents in the liquid phase, the reagents after the first being applied only if no color reaction has been obtained in the preceding test. The second and third reagents only are applied in presence of the preceding reagent(s). The first reagent is an alkaline solution of a diazotizable aminoaromatic azo-dye precursor, which detects nitroaromatic explosives. The second reagent is a strongly acidic reagent containing a nitrate to nitrite ion reducing agent and a diazo-coupler, which detects organic nitrates and nitramines. The third reagent is zinc powder suspended in a liquid, which detects inorganic nitrates. The fourth reagent is an aniline salt in a homogeneous strongly acidic solution including a water-miscible organic solvent, which detects chlorates and bromates. The invention includes also a test kit for use in the method.