F18 – AN UNEXPECTED REACTION TRIACETONE TRIPEROXIDE (TATP) FORMATION IN 2-PROPANOL

AN UNEXPECTED REACTION TRIACETONE TRIPEROXIDE (TATP) FORMATION IN 2-PROPANOL

Kristian Nærby Vandsemba, Geir P. Novika,b and Marianne Bolsønesa
a Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), Kjeller, 2027, Norway
b Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Stavanger, 4036, Stavanger, Norway
Email: Kristian-narby.vandsemb@ffi.no

In today’s industrialized society, the use and storage of solvents such as 2 propanol (isopropanol) is common. Recently, a laboratory worker at a Norwegian armed forces laboratory (FOLAT) was injured when a 2-propanol wash bottle unexpectedly exploded during emptying. Crystallized particles, ranging from 1-36 mm in length and numbering > 100 pieces, were found around the location of the explosion. The particles were confirmed as triacetone triperoxide (TATP). TATP is an organic peroxide explosive which is extremely sensitive to impact and friction. It is often referred to as a Home-Made Explosive (HME) and was previously simple to synthesize with commercially available chemicals. Now, recent studies show that 2-propanol stored in containers with constant exposure to oxygen can, over many years, form TATP. The formation is due to the oxidation of 2-propanol yielding acetone and hydrogen peroxide, the precursors for TATP (Figure 1) [1]. Further review of 2-propanol stored throughout numerous military installations in Norway was deemed necessary. The aim of this study was to develop a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method to more precisely assess how 2-propanol develops into TATP.

We received full to half-full containers, ranging from glass bottles, commercial soft-plastic bottles and older, large containers of hardened rough plastic, assumed to contain 2-propanol of varying quality. Container content was fractioned, inspected and described, and checked with a peroxide test strip, before sample preparation and analysis of TATP and related compounds with GC-MS.

Preliminary data from GC-MS indicates that the type of material in which 2-propanol is stored plays a part. All containers acquired were stored with their cap on, but only the containers with the rougher, hardened plastic surface contained peroxides (>100 µg/mL), with GC-MS analysis confirming presence of TATP. These containers may allow enough oxygen-diffusion for oxidation of 2-propanol, thus promoting the formation of TATP. In conclusion, GC-MS was suited for analysis of TATP and related compounds, and long-term storage of 2-propanol should be monitored for formation of peroxides and TATP.

Figure 1: Oxidation scheme of 2-propanol yielding acetone and hydrogen peroxide [1]

References

[1] G.P. Novik, M. Bolsønes, R. Ueland, D. Christensen, Characteristics of triacetone triperoxide (TATP) formed in 2-propanol, Fire Safety Journal 153 (2025) 104370, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2025.104370.