Resonance Raman spectroscopic study of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene and its adduct with the SO32– ion

Abstract

It is shown that, although 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) itself undergoes photodegradation under resonance Raman conditions, its adduct formed in aqueous sodium sulphite is stable to this treatment. Enhancement of the (polarised) 1304 cm^–1 band of the adduct is optimal with 457.9 nm (21 839 cm^–1) excitation and forms the basis of a sensitive method for the detection and identification of TNT at ca. 10^–6M in aqueous solution.