Ionic liquid as an alternative greener sensing medium for the chemical warfare agent

Abstract

Greener electrochemical detection method developed for chemical warfare agent (CWA) nitrogen mustard-2 (NM-2) using room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL). The diffusion coefficient calculated for NM-2 in acetonitrile and RTIL was 1.57 x 10~4 cm2/s and 1.82 x 10~10 cm2/s, respectively. NM-2 addition to RTIL enhanced RTIL conductivity. Moreover, heterogeneous rate constant (0.192 s_1), transfer coefficient (0.231) and the number of electron involved (1.0) were deduced for NM-2 in RTIL. The calibration plot showed linearity between 2.94 x 10~5 and 1.17 x 10~3 M with detection limit 1.47 x 10~5 M (S/N = 3). The large number of available RTIL can be used for greener detection of toxic CWAs. © 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.