Determination of cybutryne content in antifouling paint using amperometry based on the specific electrochemical oxidation reaction

Cybutryne is widely used as an antifouling biocide and is one of the chemicals most frequently detected in the marine ecosystem. However, its use is restricted due to its significant adverse effects on the marine environment. In this paper, we report a simple amperometric method for determining cybutryne content in antifouling paints, utilizing the electrochemical oxidation of cybutryne in an anhydrous acetonitrile medium. Current measurements were performed by applying a potential of +2.0 V vs. SCE in 0.1 M NaClO4-CH3CN solution. The results showed a linear increase in current corresponding to cybutryne concentrations in the range of 10 to 700 mg L-1, with a detection limit of 3.82 mg L-1. An excellent linear relationship was observed between the concentration of cybutryne extracted from antifouling paints and the amperometric response. The correlation coefficient exceeded 0.99, recoveries ranged from 89.5 to 102.0 %, and the relative standard deviation was less than 4 %. Analysis of real samples confirmed that this electrochemical method meets the requirements for cybutryne detection in antifouling paints, offering high selectivity, rapid analysis, high sensitivity, and good reproducibility.