The man suspected of detonating an explosive device in Beijing Capital International Airport on Saturday evening has been detained, the municipal public security bureau said.

The device exploded outside Gate B at the Terminal 3 arrival hall.

Ji Zhongxing, 34, from Heze city, Shandong province, allegedly set off a homemade bomb, which police said was produced from powder used in fireworks. The explosion injured the suspect's left arm and injured a policeman.

Beijing police said Ji is under investigation and they are looking at how he came to the airport, if others were involved in the incident and why it occurred.

Airport police said they have boosted security checks, and dispatched more police officers on patrol in around departure and arrival halls.

The suspect worked in Guangdong and has been petitioning for more than 10 years over what caused his paralysis in 2005, according to the police.

The government in Dongguan city, Guangdong province, has established a special team to investigate.