He experimental installation for study of nitro explosives sensor elements properties is considered. The photoluminescence spectra of the sensor element at excitation by photons with energies in the range 280-425 nm were measured. The photoluminescence excitation spectra for luminescence bands of the sensor element (507, 473, 447 and 435 nm) were also measured. These spectra indicate that there are at least three luminescence centers in sensor element. Luminescence properties of sensor under electromagnetic (X-ray, ultra-violet and visible ranges of lengths of waves) and corpuscular (electrons, alpha) radiation exposure were studied. Due to experimental verification of device operation it was shown that the device sensitivity to the test nitrogenous compounds vapors is no worse than 10-15 g/cm 3.