Electrochemical Detection of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene Using Interdigitated Array Electrodes

Abstract

We describe the use of interdigitated array gold electrodes (IDAs) for the electrochemical detection of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). Our protocol generates a reversible redox couple (hydroxylamine/nitroso) from the initial reduction of TNT, which can be amplified using redox cycling at IDA electrodes. The IDA electrodes give a limit of detection for TNT at ∼6 ng/mL with a linear response (r² = 0.998) between 10 and 10,000 ng/mL for static conditions and between 5 and 200 ng/mL for flow conditions (r² = 0.999).

Keywords:

• Amplification
• electrochemical detection
• IDA electrodes
• redox cycling
• TNT

F.V. was supported by an NSF Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Minority Institutions and Tribal Colleges and Universities (HBCU/MI/TCU) internship program. This research was supported in part by the Office of Naval Research. The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not represent the opinions of the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.