Electrochemical Reduction Behavior and Polarographic Determination of Methoxy Triazine Herbicides in Environmental Samples

Abstract

The electrochemical reduction behavior of 1,3,5-triazine herbicides, Atraton (AN), Prometon (PN), Secbumeton (SN), and Terbumeton (TN) at mercury electrodes was studied in aqueous Britton Robinson buffer (BR) solutions by using different voltammetric techniques. The nature of the electrode process was examined. Number of electrons involved in the reduction process of all the four compounds was evaluated and a reduction mechanism was proposed. The electrolysis products were separated and identified by IR spectra. For analytical purposes, BR buffer of pH 4.0 was chosen as working medium for all the four analytes. The detection limits were found to be 1.5 × 10−8 mol l−1, 2 × 10−8 mol l−1, 2.8 × 10−8 mol l−1, and 1 × 10−8 mol l−1 for AN, PN, SN, and TN, respectively. A differential pulse voltammetric method was developed for the determination of these compounds in agricultural formulations, water, and soil samples. The interference from the ions and other herbicides were also evaluated.