Square-wave cathodic stripping voltammetric analysis of RDX using mercury-film plated glassy carbon electrode

A mercury film (MF) is prepared by an electrochemical deposition on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), and employed for an analysis of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) using square-wave stripping voltammetry (SWSV). RDX was deposited at −0.15 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) for 120 s, then reduced at −0.7 V on the MF coated GCE(MFGCE). Optimal experimental conditions were searched and reported for the analysis. Two linear concentration ranges were observed: one in a lower RDX concentration range of 0.2–10 mg l−1 and the other in a higher RDX concentration range of 10.0–100.0 mg l−1 with a 120 s of pre-concentration time. At RDX concentrations of 2 and 8 mg l−1, the relative standard deviations in measured concentrations (n=16) were 9.79 and 0.49%, respectively. The detection limit found to be 0.12 mg l−1 with the 120 s accumulation time. The method was applied to determine RDX in several soil samples that yielded a relative error of 1% in the concentrations.