Microchip flow-injection analysis of trace 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) using mercury-amalgam electrochemical detector

This paper reports on a microfluidic device for the flow-injection/electrochemistry analysis of nitroaromatic explosive. The response is very fast (150assays/h), highly sensitive (detection limit 7.0 mu gL(-1),), reproducible and stable (R.S.D. = 2.0%; n=30) and linear (over 20-100 [mu g L-1 range). Relevant experimental parameters have been optimized. The new microsystem offers great promise for on-site monitoring of TNT, with significant advantages of speed/warning, sample size, efficiency and cost. Most favorable S/N characteristics were obtained at the Hg/Au-amalgam end-channel detector. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.