Evaluation of the suitable analytical techniques for the investigation of the toxic elements and compounds in the Pyrotechnic materials (Green crackers)

TL;DR

This study compares analytical techniques like LIBS, PAS, UV-Vis, and AAS to investigate toxic elements and organic compounds in green crackers, revealing their environmental and health risks with a focus on the effectiveness of each method.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive analytical approach combining multiple spectroscopic techniques to evaluate the toxic constituents in green crackers, highlighting PAS as a non-destructive and effective method.

Findings

Green crackers contain toxic elements like Al, Ba, Sr, Cr, Cu.

PAS is more suitable than UV-Vis for organic compound analysis.

Green crackers are less toxic than traditional crackers but still pose health risks.

Abstract

The present manuscript reports the elemental as well as molecular study of the Green Crackers. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy has been used for elemental analysis, UV-Vis and Photoacoustic Spectroscopy (PAS) are used for molecular study of the green crackers. The spectral lines of several elements including heavy/toxic such as Al, Ba, Sr, Cr, Cu are observed in the LIBS spectra of green crackers like present in normal crackers. In addition to this, the electronic bands of diatomic molecules like AlO, SrO, and CaO are also observed in LIB spectra of the green crackers. PAS, which is non-destructive, useful for scattering & opaque substances, is more suitable than the UV-VIS method for the investigation of the various organic compounds/molecules present in the firecrackers. Molecular bands of these molecules (AlO, SrO and CaO) are also in the absorption spectra of the crackers recorded using PAS technique and UV-Vis spectroscopy technique. In addition to these, absorption bands of some additional compounds/molecules like AlO, SrO, CaCO3, KNO3, NH4NO3, NHClO4 are also observed in the PA spectra of the green crackers, which show that PAS is more appropriate technique than the UV-VIS method for the investigation of the organic compounds/molecules in firecrackers. To determine the exact concentration of the constituents (Al, Cr, Cu) in green crackers AAS has been used. The results of the present manuscript show that the green crackers are also toxic for the environment as well as for humans although with lesser intensity than traditional/normal crackers.