Method and device for the detection of not easily volatized substances

• Main Authors: Krausa, Michael, Schorb, Klaus, Krebs, Stefan, Becker, Frank
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 18.02.2003

The invention concerns a method for the detection of not easily volatized substances, in particular of Nitrotoluene, trinitrotoluene, dinitrotoluene or derivatives of nitrotoluene as well as chemical warfare materials such as Clark, Lewisite, Lost, Sarin, Soman, Tabun or the like in soil, liquids and gases, wherein an electrode configuration having at least one working electrode and an opposing electrode is brought into contact with the substance to be examined via an electrolyte and a voltage is applied to the working electrode whose value is increased and decreased within a predetermined measuring time at least once and having the substantially same beginning and end values, wherein the strength of the current during this at least one measurement cycle is determined in dependence on the applied voltage. The invention also concerns a device for the detection of not easily volatized substances, in particular of nitrotoluene, trinitrotoluene, dinitrotoluene or derivatives of nitrotoluenes as well as of chemical warfare materials such as Clark, Lewisite, Lost, Sarin, Soman, Tabun or the like in soil, liquids and gases having a sensor element comprising at least one working and one opposing electrode which are connected to a regulated voltage source and which come in contact with an electrolyte. A method and device for the detection of substances such as nitrotoluene, trinitrotoluene, dinitrotoluene, or derivatives, wherein a working electrode and an opposing electrode are contacted with the substance via a viscous electrolyte layer and a voltage is applied to the working electrode whose value is increased and decreased at least once with substantially equal beginning and end values within a predetermined time period, wherein the current strength is determined during this at least one measurement cycle in dependence on the applied voltage, is distinguished in that a plurality of measurement cycles are scanned, and differences of current values of sequential measurement cycles are determined and, in the event of the occurrence of a cathode current maximum, the associated voltage value is determined, held constant and the current strength extracted.