In situ voltammetric analysis of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in environmental water using a boron doped diamond electrode and an adapted unmanned air vehicle sampling platform

In the present work a voltammetric method was developed for in situ detection of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in environmental water samples, using a compact and lightweight electrochemical cell using a fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printer with biodegradable polylactic acid filament, and a boron-doped diamond electrode (BDDE). The samples were collected by an adapted unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a micropump and a miniature solenoid valve powered by an open source microcontroller. After optimizing the supporting electrolyte, pH and parameters of the square wave voltammetry (SWV) a linear analytical curve for 2,4-D in 0.5 mol L-1 Na2SO4 (pH = 2.0 regulated using 0.5 mol L-1 H2SO4 solution) in a concentration range from 100 nmol L-1 to 911 nmol L-1 with 34 nmol L-1 as the limit of detection was obtained. The same samples in situ analyzed by SWV were sent to the laboratory for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis; and there was no statistical difference from the concentration of 2,4-D in any of the samples at a 95% confidence level. Therefore, the method developed for quantification of 2,4-D in water provides an important environmental monitoring tool since it enables access to difficult areas in a fast, practical and safe way. This is the first time that an adapted UAV with these features has been used to collect environmental water for in situ electrochemical analysis as a screening tool to alert the presence of environmental hazard compounds, such as 2,4-D. Thus, this method can be used by environmental and sanitary control agencies to monitor or to supervise environmental water quality with response in real time.