The US started hearing about a heart that could be used to track the social movement of any person who touches , or walk across , a contaminated control surface . in 1963 . It wasn’tuntil 1984that they got a sampling of the stuff .
A defecting agent revealed that powder containing both luminol and a center visit nitrophenyl pentadien ( NPPD ) had been apply to doorknobs , the floor gym mat of cars , and other surfaces that Americans experience in Moscow had touched . They would then pass over or calumniate the substance over every aerofoil they subsequently relate .
The revelation caused ascandal , not so much because of the trailing , but because of the potential health luck of what derive to be known as “ spy rubble . ” The dust was tested to see whether it was a carcinogen or amutagen . Scientists decide that the substance was secure for external use at low story .

Technically , the means likely was n’t used in detritus form . A 2004 study synthesize spy dust and used it to trace the movements of both a motorcar and a human . The researchers conducting the field dissolve the dust in wood alcohol and sprayed it on surface instead of sprinkle it . Once it had been picked up by bare custody , the wheel of a car , or cotton gloves , they test surmise arena for exposure to NPPD or luminol . The multiple chemicals in spy junk allowed them to screen multiple way for pic :
“ The semblance examination was a two - steps process : first was the plus of 1 mL of a 0.1 % naphthoresorcinol methanol resolution to the methyl alcohol extracts of a wood spirit - contained cotton swab used to smear some surfaces of the defendant , and 2d , the plus of 1 mL of concentrated hydrochloric acid , which become the solution dark red . The gamma max of the coloured solution was 510 nm , measured by UV - vis spectroscopic analysis . spotting limits for three method acting were determined : a visual method ( spotting limit 100 ng/3 mL ) , an ultraviolet - visible spectrometric method ( catching limit 10 ng/3 mL ) , and a selected - ion - monitoring gas chromatographic / mass spectrometric method acting ( spotting limit 300 pg / injection ) . ”
The study concluded that undercover agent dust is a “ useful shadowing by-line . ” So , if someone wants to be intimate where you were , you might be defame spy debris over your keyboard right now .

[ Source : The International Spy Museum ]
Image : Alicja Colón .
ChemistryScience

Daily Newsletter
Get the good tech , skill , and refinement news in your inbox day by day .
News from the future , delivered to your present .
You May Also Like











![]()
