Spectrophotometric and chromatographic determination of insensitive energetic materials: HNS and NTO, in the presence of sensitive nitro-explosives

► Two new spectrophotometric methods for insensitive energetic materials were found. ► HNS and NTO were determined (LOQ < 1 mg L−1) in presence of other nitro-explosives. ► The spectrophotometric methods were statistically validated in mixtures against HPLC. ► Selectivity of developed methods were tested in densensitized composite explosives. ► Methods can be used in criminology, land remediation, and kinetic munition modeling.