Electrochemical analysis of trifluralin using a nanostructuring electrode with multi-walled carbon nanotubes

The electroanalytical behaviors of the endocrine-disrupting chemical trifluralin have been studied at a nanostructuring electrode. The nanostructuring electrode was fabricated by coating a uniform multi-wall carbon nanotubes/dihexadecyl hydrogen phosphate (MWNTs/DHP) film on glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The reduction peak currents of trifluralin increased remarkably and the reduction peak potential shifted positively at the nanostructuring electrode, compared with that at a bare GCE. The results showed that this nanostructuring electrode exhibited excellent enhancement effects on the electrochemical reduction of trifluralin. Consequently, a simple and sensitive electroanalytical method was developed for the determination of trifluralin. Under optimal conditions, a linear response of trifluralin was obtained in the range from 5.0 x 10-9 to 6.0 x 10-6 mol L-1 (r = 0.998) and with a limit of detect (LOD) of 2.0 x 10-9 mol L-1. The proposed procedure was successfully applied to determine trifluralin in soil samples with satisfactory results. - A novel electroanalytical method, based on an easily prepared nanostructuring electrode, was developed for the determination of trifluralin in soil samples