The TSA randomly selected a woman for a hand swab and found that she tested positive for explosives. However she tested positive because of the lotion on her hands and the TSA proceeded to put her through an extensive screening.
A woman was Owasso, Oklahoma, Linda, told KOTV that she was randomly chosen for a hand swab when she was going through Ohio's Port Columbus International Airport a few days after the Boston Marathon bombings. She was alarmed when she was accused of testing positive for explosives after the incident, RT reports.
"They said, 'You're testing for nitrates," Linda told station. However she couldn't figure out what would present those results.
"I was shocked," she said. "I don't know how that happened. The only thing that went through my mind was, 'What did I do? What did I touch?' Because I had been at work all morning."
She recalled washing her hands at work and she had used a hand lotion that was next to the sink. She explained to the TSA that she has used too much lotion, so she applied it to her hands, forearms and elbows before going to the airport.
According to the TSA, many lotions and soaps contain glycerin, an ingredient that is also found in explosives. The TSA knew that the results were a false positive but they proceeded to send Linda to a small private room for further screening.
"I was probably in the little private room for 15 minutes, which was nerve-wracking," Linda said.
The TSA said that their procedures may not always be convenient but they are done to ensure safety.
"As with any technology, occasional false positives are possible. However, this technology is a valuable tool and one of the many layers of security designed to keep travelers safe," the agency told KOTV.
Glycerin in lotion isn't the only thing that creates a false positive. Some heart medications can even produce positive results as they contain nitroglycerines. Traces of fertilizer from farms can also test positive.
The TSA typically questions passengers to determine if something is a false positive, but they sometimes take the procedure too far. Last year, a 12-year-old girl in a wheelchair was left crying when the TSA found chemicals on her hands. Shelbi Walser was kept away from her mother as they searched the little girl.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
