A team of Spanish researchers has developed a method that can determine the chemical composition of liquids and determining whether a suspicious device is explosive or not. With this method, police can declare a suspicious device safe or potentially explosive and judges can use conclusive scientific test results on the nature of dangerous liquids in court.

A team of European chemists from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), has developed a method that can determine the chemical composition of liquids, which in turn means police can declare them safe or potentially explosive. Furthermore, with this new method judges can use conclusive scientific test results on the nature of dangerous liquids in court.

To develop the method, the team combined four techniques commonly used in laboratories. Then, to verify their new method would work in practice, the chemists applied it to seized liquid samples, mainly substances used in indoor fireworks. The findings showed methanol and boric acid in other sample liquids. In human beings, the methanol can cause acidosis and blindness and as a result is restricted in many countries. Boric acid has recently been added to the list of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) under the EU's REACH Regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical substances), regulation which entered into force in 2007.

Each year police forces seize tonnes of pyrotechnic substances across Europe that are normally destined for indoor firework manufacturing; however there is also a danger that these same substances can end up in the hands of violent groups. This is the reason of why is so important the recent method developed by the European chemists, in order to improve the quickness of the results.