Abstract
In this work, we have developed a simple method to carry out the quantitative analysis of deethylhydroxyatrazine (DEHA), the most abundant metabolite of atrazine herbicide (ATZ), based on the surface-enhanced Raman scattering technique. Since this ATZ product can undergo pH-dependent tautomerization, a previous characterization of the DEHA vibrational spectrum was accomplished. This study consisted of the Raman scattering study, both experimental and theoretical, of the enolic and ketonic tautomers of this molecule. SERS spectra were recorded at different pH in order to assess the effect of the metal surface in nanoparticles along with the pH on the structure of DEHA and to find the optimal experimental conditions of the quantitative detection of DEHA. Additionally, the interaction of DEHA with two types of humic acid reference standards, the Elliot humic and leonardite humic ones, was also performed by SERS. This interaction was conducted with two different objectives: to evaluate the interaction mechanism of the ATZ degradation product with humic substances and to check if this interaction can modify the sensitivity of the SERS detection of DEHA. The results presented in this study have clearly demonstrated that SERS spectroscopy is a very powerful technique for characterizing DEHA and other triazine sub-products at a very low concentration in water and also for analyzing the interaction of these important pollutants with humic substances.
Highlights
Introduction sTriazines have been considered one of the most effective selective herbicides used for the control of a variety of weeds in agricultural crops [1,2]
A band appears at high wavelengths around 596 nm, which shows that DEHA in the presence of NaCl salt causes the aggregation of the colloid
Triazines have been banned in many countries, the impact of degradation products on the environment and human health has yet to be elucidated
Summary
Triazines have been considered one of the most effective selective herbicides used for the control of a variety of weeds in agricultural crops [1,2]. The fate of triazines in the soil is recognized to be controlled by interaction with a variety of components possessing a wide range of typical chemical reactivity (ionic, polar, and non-polar). Ionic and polar sites interact with the polar functional groups of triazine even though these sites have a high affinity for water and compete with the same sites present in the soil surface. Non-polar sites on the soil surface readily interact with the non-polar portions of triazine molecules (alkyl side chains). In the specific case of atrazine, this pesticide exhibits a great affinity for soil organic matter, and the sorption process is correlated positively with organic C content [6].
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