UPDATE: White Substance Found Near Cruise Ship Thursday Identified

On Thursday, K-9 dogs who detected a suspicious package near a Royal Caribbean ship sparked an investigation that caused authorities to evacuate the ship's crew and workers.

Last night, technicians from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and the Tampa Police Department took "several items of concern" due to the response of explosive detection dogs, according to a release from the sheriff's office.

The items, which are unknown, were taken to to the sheriff's office range in Lithia, where technicians began to conduct controlled detonations, the release said. Technicians found a "white, granular substance" on a metal palate that was determined to be magnesium nitrate hexahydrate, used as an ingredient in the creation of an explosive device that the dogs were trained to smell, the release said.

The compound is not explosive, but its presence, the release said, confirms the alert by the dogs earlier on Thursday.

The results of the analysis were provided to thecruise line through the Tampa Port Authority and will be forwarded to the Department of Homeland Security. Magnesium nitrate hexahydrate can be used in fireworks, fertilizers and explosives, the release said.

The Sheriff's Office has retained samples of the substance.