Simple Copper Nanoparticle/Polyfurfural Film Modified Electrode for the Determination of 2, 4, 6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT)

Abstract

A polyfurfural film and copper nanoparticle (Cu NP) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was prepared for the electrochemical determination of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). The polyfurfural film and Cu NPs were prepared by a one-step electrochemical polymerization method and a one-step electrochemical deposition method, respectively. In order to obtain the optimum electrochemical performance, the degree of polymerization of furfural, the deposition time and deposition potential of copper, the enrichment time and enrichment potential of TNT detection, and the pH of the detection solution were optimized. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the modified glassy carbon electrode provided significantly enhanced electro-catalytic activity for TNT with a wide linear detection range from 0.05 to 6 ppm and a low detection limit of 0.0416 ppm due to the excellent synergistic catalytic properties of the polyfurfural film and Cu NPs. The electrode also showed excellent anti-interference ability, stability and reproducibility. Moreover, satisfactory results were obtained when the modified electrode was used for the determination of TNT in tap water samples, showing n excellent prospects for practical applications.

Keywords:

• 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT)
• copper nanoparticles
• nanocomposite electrochemical sensor
• polyfurfural film

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Numbers 21475046, 21427809, 21874047) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2019MS045).