Investigation into TSA non-dipping test strips
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,444
Investigation into TSA non-dipping test strips
I would like to try to do an investigation on the seemingly magical TSA strips that can detect explosives after being waved over liquid flasks. Data I have found are:
A picture of the product on slide 12 of these presentation (powerpoint download alert). Can anyone enhance the image to see something on that label?
The strips should be held above the flask for 5 seconds (same presentation).
After being held over the flask, strips are "developed" with a few drops of distilled water (info from TSO Dean).
Reading is a simple visual change in the strip.
Anyone else have any more information on these tests? Maybe we can solve a mystery together! Or maybe they really are magical...
A picture of the product on slide 12 of these presentation (powerpoint download alert). Can anyone enhance the image to see something on that label?
The strips should be held above the flask for 5 seconds (same presentation).
After being held over the flask, strips are "developed" with a few drops of distilled water (info from TSO Dean).
Reading is a simple visual change in the strip.
Anyone else have any more information on these tests? Maybe we can solve a mystery together! Or maybe they really are magical...
#2
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 733
That is a very interesting find. Good work!
Now, I don't want to derail this very excellent thread.
However, look at Slide 10 where it clearly indicates TSA is looking for, among other things, "narcotics".
And at Slide 14 which indicates the NoS is the best device to look for guns, explosives, drugs, and money.
It would seem to me that these machines violate the administrative search doctrine, no?
As to the request, I'm sorry, I tried blowing up the text and couldn't read it. I'll try and see if I can display this on the big screen later today.
For future reference, where did you find this gem?
Now, I don't want to derail this very excellent thread.
However, look at Slide 10 where it clearly indicates TSA is looking for, among other things, "narcotics".
And at Slide 14 which indicates the NoS is the best device to look for guns, explosives, drugs, and money.
It would seem to me that these machines violate the administrative search doctrine, no?
As to the request, I'm sorry, I tried blowing up the text and couldn't read it. I'll try and see if I can display this on the big screen later today.
For future reference, where did you find this gem?
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: An NPR mind living in a Fox News world
Posts: 14,148
I did two additional things:
1. I ran the briefing in slide show mode. Slide 14 has a bunch of fly-ins. It shows that drugs and money can be detected by: trace portals, pat-downs, and pornoscanners. So, the puffers really WERE used to find drugs! (Anybody surprised?)
2. I pulled up the briefing in "notes pages" thinking I might find some speaker notes of interest. There was nothing there, except for a couple of slides:
Slide 5 -- I'll bet we never knew that the TSA created this crap in order to make us "calm" when being groped and irradiated:
Slide 18: The speaker was supposed to mention SPOTNiks as a key element of "layered security."
I wonder why there was no mention of the Cancer Boxes?
1. I ran the briefing in slide show mode. Slide 14 has a bunch of fly-ins. It shows that drugs and money can be detected by: trace portals, pat-downs, and pornoscanners. So, the puffers really WERE used to find drugs! (Anybody surprised?)
2. I pulled up the briefing in "notes pages" thinking I might find some speaker notes of interest. There was nothing there, except for a couple of slides:
Slide 5 -- I'll bet we never knew that the TSA created this crap in order to make us "calm" when being groped and irradiated:
The Diamond Self Select concept was created with the intent to calm down the security checkpoint environment. Separating expert passengers from the casual passengers and families results in a less stressful and more efficient process, thus creating the desired calm environment. Additionally, by placing Passenger Engagement TSOs in the front of the queue, passengers not only receive face-to-face guidance from a TSA representative on choosing the appropriate lane but also an education on divesting; thus increasing efficiencies in the screening experience.
I wonder why there was no mention of the Cancer Boxes?
#5
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 1,685
Test Strips
Do you know if the pH test strips are immersed in an aqueous solution prior to test "air test?"
If they are dry, I'm pretty sure there is testing for air dry samples of pH test strips in vapors. They obviously use a different color chart than aqueous tests, and are less accurate...but what does that matter when related to security theater? It's the mere appearance that you are testing that counts.
If they are dry, I'm pretty sure there is testing for air dry samples of pH test strips in vapors. They obviously use a different color chart than aqueous tests, and are less accurate...but what does that matter when related to security theater? It's the mere appearance that you are testing that counts.
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,444
Do you know if the pH test strips are immersed in an aqueous solution prior to test "air test?"
If they are dry, I'm pretty sure there is testing for air dry samples of pH test strips in vapors. They obviously use a different color chart than aqueous tests, and are less accurate...but what does that matter when related to security theater? It's the mere appearance that you are testing that counts.
If they are dry, I'm pretty sure there is testing for air dry samples of pH test strips in vapors. They obviously use a different color chart than aqueous tests, and are less accurate...but what does that matter when related to security theater? It's the mere appearance that you are testing that counts.
#8
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 1,685
I don't think it's as magical as logic would make us believe. They've done dry vapor tests since the 60s when dealing with chemicals, acids, all the nasty stuff that would explode.
#9
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: boca raton, florida
Posts: 621
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,444
By the way, as discussed, here, I detect peroxides for a living.
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,320
That is a very interesting find. Good work!
Now, I don't want to derail this very excellent thread.
However, look at Slide 10 where it clearly indicates TSA is looking for, among other things, "narcotics".
And at Slide 14 which indicates the NoS is the best device to look for guns, explosives, drugs, and money.
It would seem to me that these machines violate the administrative search doctrine, no?
Now, I don't want to derail this very excellent thread.
However, look at Slide 10 where it clearly indicates TSA is looking for, among other things, "narcotics".
And at Slide 14 which indicates the NoS is the best device to look for guns, explosives, drugs, and money.
It would seem to me that these machines violate the administrative search doctrine, no?
#12
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 1,685
A chemical solution containing explosives volatile enough to reach detectable levels on a test strip would be very volatile and unstable indeed (and certainly not peroxides, which seem to be the primary fear of the TSA and are not even remotely volatile enough to be detected by test strips in the air above). Besides, developing test strips with water is beyond believability. It suggests to me these are original dipsticks that are being used in an alternate (and useless) fashion. But I may be wrong, and the idea of this thread is to try to find out.
By the way, as discussed, here, I detect peroxides for a living.
By the way, as discussed, here, I detect peroxides for a living.
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,444
#14
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Laguna Niguel, CA
Programs: AA PLT, 1.8mm
Posts: 6,988
After being held over the flask, strips are "developed" with a few drops of distilled water (info from TSO Dean).
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,444