Simple Analytical Method for the Determination of Trichloroethylene by Applying Oxidizing Agents to the Quartz Crystal Microbalance Sensor

Abstract

A highly sensitive detecting method for trichloroethylene using quartz crystal microbalance was newly developed. The method uses oxidizing agents such as PbO₂ and H₂SO₄. TCE is converted into HCl by the reaction with the oxidizing agents and then reacts directly with a copper electrode placed on the quartz crystal surface to forms copper chloride. In case of 100 ppb of trichloroethylene concentration and fundamental frequencies of 9 MHz at 30°C, the frequency response of about -14 Hz was obtained. The new method enables the measurement of very low concentrations of TCE.