Electrochemical sensor for simultaneous determination of herbicide MCPA and its metabolite 4-chloro-2-methylphenol. Application to photodegradation environmental monitoring.

The development and application of a polyaniline/carbon nanotube (CNT) cyclodextrin matrix (PANI-ß-CD/MWCNT)-based electrochemical sensor for the quantitative determination of the herbicide 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) and its main transformation product 4-chloro-2-methylphenol in natural waters are described. A simple cyclic voltammetry-based electrochemical methodology, in phosphate buffer solution at pH 6.0, was used to develop a method to determine both MCPA and 4-chloro-2-methylphenol, without any previous extraction or derivatization steps. A linear concentration range (10 to 50 µmol L(-1)) and detection limits of 1.1 and 1.9 µmol L(-1), respectively, were achieved using optimized cyclic voltammetric parameters. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of MCPA and 4-chloro-2-methylphenol in natural water samples with satisfactory recoveries (94 to 107%) and in good agreement with the results obtained by an established high-performance liquid chromatography technique, no significant differences being found between the methods. Interferences from ionic species and other herbicides used for broad-leaf weed control were shown to be small. The newly developed methodology was also successfully applied to MCPA photodegradation environmental studies.

Enhanced host-guest electrochemical recognition of herbicide MCPA using a ß-cyclodextrin carbon nanotube sensor.

An electrochemical sensor for the determination of the chlorophenoxy herbicide MCPA has been developed, based on a combination of multi-walled carbon nanotubes with incorporated ß-cyclodextrin and a polyaniline film modified glassy carbon electrode. The proposed molecular host-guest recognition based sensor has a high electrochemical sensitivity for the determination of MCPA. The electrochemical behaviour of MCPA at the chemically modified electrode was investigated in detail by cyclic voltammetry. The results indicate that the ß-CD/MWCNT modified glassy carbon electrode exhibits efficient electrocatalytic oxidation of MCPA with high sensitivity, stability and lifetime. The analytical characteristics of this film were used for the quantitative determination of MCPA in natural waters. Cyclic voltammetry in phosphate buffer solution at pH 6.0, allowed the development of a method to determine MCPA, without any previous steps of extraction, clean-up, or derivatization, in the range of 10-100 µmol L(-1), with a detection limit of 0.99 µmol L(-1) in water. The results were statistically compared with those obtained through an established high-performance liquid chromatography technique, no significant differences having been found between the two methods.