Effects of explosion

Whether through an accident or intentional act, explosions are an occurrence that can cause
serious injury and death. Explosions have the ability to inflict injuries on many people at the
same time resulting in high levels of mortality and morbidity. The type and severity of the
impact depends on many factors including, when and where the event took place, the number of
people in the area, material in the area of the explosion, and the type of explosion (nuclear,
mechanical, or chemical), how far the victim is from the explosion, what protection they had
available to them. The principle mechanism driving the extent of the injuries is the amount of
kinetic energy released over a short time by the explosion.
Explosives are categorized as high order explosives or low order explosives. High order
explosives have a strong supersonic pressure wave, known as the blast wave or shock wave. Low
order explosions have a subsonic explosion and lack the high order explosive blast wave.
Examples of low order explosives include – pipe bombs, gun powder, petroleum-based bombs.
In addition to the blast wave, an explosion can cause blast wind. Blast wind is the flow of
superheated air that can interact with people and objects and cause injury or damage.

Chemical explosions cause injuries in four categories (primary, secondary, tertiary, and
quaternary). The four categories are based on the impact on the human body due to the blast
wave, blast wind, environmental/material factors present in the area of the blast.

Immediate death can occur from an explosion as a result of extensive pulmonary injury with
pulmonary hemorrhage causing suffocation. Immediate death can also be caused by a pulmonary
air embolism, severe head injury, significant internal injury, amputation, or impalement on an
object.

Primary blast injury is caused by the blast wave moving through the body. Since only high order
explosives create a blast wave, primary blast injuries are unique to high order explosions. The
blast wave causes damage to more extensively to air-filled organs. The resulting barotrauma can
affect the lungs, auditory organs, the eye, brain, and gastrointestinal tract.

 Blast ear – tympanic membrane rupture and middle ear damage

 Blast lung – injury to the lung parenchyma, can have delayed symptom presentation

 Blast brain – injury to brain parenchyma, even without direct injury to the head

 Blast eye – rupture of the globe of the eye

 Blast belly – injury causing abdominal hemorrhage and perforation (immediate and
delayed). It can also cause injury to solid organs and testicular rupture.
Secondary blast injuries are caused by debris that is displaced by the blast wind of the explosion.
The secondary blast injuries are caused by debris that penetrates or interacts with the body
surface. The debris can be from pieces of the explosive device itself and its contents, or material
located around the initial blast device at the time of the explosion.

Exposed areas of the victims’ body are at high risk for penetration of debris that is propelled by
the explosion. Often areas of highest risk for injury are the head, neck, and extremities.
Secondary blast injuries can be obvious or be deceiving. The force of the explosion can propel
debris many times faster than a bullet. Thus, a seeming small wound could be hiding a
devastating injury underneath. Injuries can include fractures, amputations, lacerations,
dislocations, and any type of soft tissue injury.

Tertiary blast injuries are caused when the person in displaced through the air and impacts on
another object by the blast wind, or when a structure collapses and causes injury to the person.
The resulting injury can be either blunt trauma due to the impact or penetrating injury if the
victim is propelled and the striking structure enters the body. Injuries are determined by what the
victim strikes. The strength of the explosion determines the severity of the injuries sustained.
High explosive blasts can cause skull fractures, fractured bones, head injuries, or any traumatic
injury (open or closed injuries, chest, abdominal, pelvic injuries, amputations, spinal injuries, and
any others).

Quaternary blast injuries are comprised of all injuries that are not included in primary,
secondary, or tertiary blast injury categories. Quaternary blast injuries can be caused by exposure
to resulting, fire, fumes, radiation, biological agents, smoke, dust, toxins, environmental
exposure, and the psychological impact of the event. As a result of all the debris, wounds can be
extremely contaminated with a wide variety of sources.

 Fire – burn injuries (flash, partial, full-thickness, airway)

 Fumes/smoke/dust – inhalation injuries and respiratory compromise

 Toxins – toxidromes from chemical exposures

 Environmental – heat/cold, exposure injuries

 Radiation – minor injury to death, depending on the type, amount, and exposure time to
the source.

 Biological – variety of illness related to the agent released

A casualty’s underlying medical condition has a major impact on the effects on the impact of the
resulting exposure on their mortality and morbidity.
  Lung disease – exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or
asthma.

 Heart disease – unstable angina, acute myocardial infarction

 High blood pressure – hypertensive emergency or urgency

Psychological disease – exacerbation of anxiety, depression, contribute to post-traumatic stress

disorder (PTSD).

Explosive analysis
There are two separate examinations performed in the forensic analysis of explosives:
identification and/or characterization of the intact explosives and examination of explosive
debris.  Examiners will analyze intact explosives and residues as well as intact or fragmented
device components.  The overall objective of forensic explosives examination is the
identification of any explosives present.  If intact explosive particles are found, the type of
explosive, producer, and brand name may be identified.  In contrast, trace residues of explosives
may be analyzed and classified, but are difficult to identify.  Variables such as ambient
temperature, weather conditions, and temperature and pressure at the time of explosion all
complicate the forensic analytical process.
A detailed investigation of a blast site will reveal crucial clues to lead the investigation. By
thoroughly documenting the condition of the scene, including any structural damage and
injuries or fatalities, investigators can slowly piece together what occurred. Fragments of an
exploded device will often be left intact, including switches, wiring, timers and circuit boards.
If the timer was made from a unique type of watch, for instance, that information could help
narrow the search for who created the device or where it may have come from.
After an explosion, residue from the explosive that was used will be left behind. To identify
the type of explosive used, investigators may use an ion mobility spectrometer (IMS), a
handheld chemical detection device, to identify residues that may be present around the blast
site.
If an undetonated device is located, it must first be rendered safe. A bomb should never be
moved from where it was found because it could detonate. This should only be conducted by
a qualified bomb technician. Safety is the primary consideration; damage to a structure can
be repaired, but injury to a person could be life-altering or fatal.
To examine the type of explosive, bomb technicians use remote robotic equipment to take
pictures of the device, or even to detonate the bomb. Robots are commonly fitted with a
device that can shoot a high velocity jet of water into the device, disrupting it. The bomb
squad technician can then move in to confirm the area is safe and law enforcement can begin
an investigation.
A bomb squad technician may also use a portable X-ray tool to examine a suspicious
package to determine if it contains an explosive. X-rays are commonly used in airports to
examine luggage to ensure baggage does not contain explosive devices.
Before being transported from the scene, all physical evidence is photographed, packaged,
placed into containers, labeled and secured. Evidence could even be lodged in the bodies of
victims or a suicide bomber. The body can be examined via X-ray images and the evidence
retrieved if necessary. If a community doesn’t have its own specialized unit to handle
explosives, it will have an agreement with a nearby bomb squad to handle these types of
situations
Once a device is rendered safe, it can be analyzed like any other piece of evidence to search
for leads regarding who was responsible for creating and deploying the device. If large
fragments of the device are retrieved, DNA or fingerprints may be present that analysts can
attempt to match to a suspect.
The potential energy stored in an explosive material may, for example, be

 chemical energy, such as nitroglycerin or grain dust

 pressurized gas, such as a gas cylinder, aerosol can, or BLEVE
 nuclear energy, such as in the fissile isotopes uranium-235 and plutonium-239

Explosive materials may be categorized by the speed at which they expand. Materials
that detonate (the front of the chemical reaction moves faster through the material than the speed
of sound) are said to be "high explosives" and materials that deflagrate are said to be "low
explosives". Explosives may also be categorized by their sensitivity. Sensitive materials that can
be initiated by a relatively small amount of heat or pressure are primary explosives and materials
that are relatively insensitive are secondary or tertiary explosives.
A primary explosive is an explosive that is extremely sensitive to stimuli such
as impact, friction, heat, static electricity, or electromagnetic radiation. Primary explosives
are often used in detonators or to trigger larger charges of less sensitive secondary explosives.
Primary explosives are commonly used in blasting caps and percussion caps to translate a
physical shock signal.
Examples of primary high explosives are:

 Acetone peroxide
 Alkali metal ozonides
 Ammonium permanganate
 Ammonium chlorate
 Azidotetrazolates

 Azoclathrates
 Benzoyl peroxide
 Benzvalene
 3,5-Bis(trinitromethyl)tetrazole[20]
 Chlorine oxides
 Copper(I) acetylide
 Copper(II) azide
 Cumene hydroperoxide
 CXP CycloProp(-2-)enyl Nitrate (or CPN)

 Cyanogen azide
 Cyanuric triazide
 Diacetyl peroxide
 1-Diazidocarbamoyl-5-azidotetrazole
 Diazodinitrophenol
 Diazomethane
 Diethyl ether peroxide
 4-Dimethylaminophenylpentazole
 Disulfur dinitride
 Ethyl azide
 Explosive antimony
 Fluorine perchlorate
 Fulminic acid
 Halogen azides:
o Fluorine azide
o Chlorine azide
o Bromine azide
 Hexamethylene triperoxide diamine
 Hydrazoic acid
 Hypofluorous acid
 Lead azide
 Lead styphnate
 Lead picrate[21]
 Manganese heptoxide
 Mercury(II) fulminate
 Mercury nitride
 Methyl ethyl ketone peroxide
 Nickel hydrazine nitrate[22]
 Nickel hydrazine perchlorate
  Nitrogen trihalides:
o Nitrogen trichloride
o Nitrogen tribromide
o Nitrogen triiodide
 Nitroglycerin
 Nitronium perchlorate
 Nitrosyl perchlorate
 Nitrotetrazolate-N-oxides
 Octaazacubane
 Pentazenium hexafluoroarsenate
 Peroxy acids
 Peroxymonosulfuric acid
 Selenium tetraazide

 Silicon tetraazide
 Silver azide
 Silver acetylide
 Silver fulminate
 Silver nitride
 Tellurium tetraazide

 tert-Butyl hydroperoxide
 Tetraamine copper complexes

 Tetraazidomethane
 Tetrazene explosive
 Tetranitratoxycarbon
 Tetrazoles
 Titanium tetraazide

 Triazidomethane

 Oxides of xenon:
o Xenon dioxide
o Xenon oxytetrafluoride
o Xenon tetroxide
o Xenon trioxide

A secondary explosive is less sensitive than a primary explosive and requires substantially more
energy to be initiated. Because they are less sensitive, they are usable in a wider variety of
applications and are safer to handle and store. Secondary explosives are used in larger quantities
in an explosive train and are usually initiated by a smaller quantity of a primary explosive.
Examples of secondary explosives include TNT and RDX.

Tertiary explosives, also called blasting agents, are so insensitive to shock that they cannot be
reliably detonated by practical quantities of primary explosive, and instead require an
intermediate explosive booster of secondary explosive. These are often used for safety and the
typically lower costs of material and handling. The largest consumers are large-
scale mining and construction operations.