Hydroxylamine: Electrochemical based Sensors and Adverse Effects

Hydroxylamine (HYA) or NH2OH is a bifunctional compound containing amine and hydroxyl functional groups. It is a product of cellular metabolism during the enzymatic reduction of nitrites or nitrates or by the oxidation of ammonia. It is a mutagen and moderately toxic to humans and other organisms to cause physiological changes at abnormal concentrations. 

Uses

HYA is widely used as a reagent in several industrial and pharmaceutical processes for drug synthesis. More than 97% of HYA production is utilized to manufacture Nylon-6. The widespread use of these chemicals leads to enormous emissions into the environment. The most common toxicity of HYA results from skin contact causing irritation and dermatitis or an ocular corrosive effect. HYA acts as a reducing agent that produces methemoglobin and Heinz bodies in the blood, ultimately causing hemolytic anemia. 

Electrochemical based Sensors

The design and development of inexpensive, and extremely sensitive sensors for Hydroxylamine (HYA) are imperative due to its toxicity to animals, plants, and aquatic life. 

The detection of hydroxylamine in an aqueous medium is challenging due to its very similar chemical reactivity to its nearest competitors such as hydrazine hydrate and primary amines. Moreover, the detection of hydroxylamine at neutral pH adds further complexity to the sensing phenomenon due to its poor reactivity in a neutral aqueous medium. 

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