The reduction of nitroaromatic compaunds on the platinum electrode

Abstract

The reduction of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT),as an example of nitroaromatic compounds with three nitro groups, was investigated by cyclic voltammetry on a platinum electrode in aqueous sodium chloride solutions with acetonitrile. The obtained cyclic voltammograms showed three well-pronounced reduction peaks in the potential range of –0.43 to –0.8 V (vs. Ag/AgCl reference electrode). The potentials of the peaks were dependant on the potential scan rate as well as on the TNT concentration, indicating the irreversibility of the reduction process. A calibration curve as a linear dependence of the first peak current on the TNT concentration was obtained in the range 4.4 – 638.4 μM L–1.The platinum electrode exhibited an electrochemically stabile behavior for the TNT reduction process. Hence, a Pt electrode could be a suitable material for TNT sensing.