Square-wave voltammetric determination of daminozide

A novel electrochemical method is described for the determination of the growth regulator, daminozide. Daminozide is hydrolyzed in alkaline aqueous media to form 1,1-dimethylhydrazine (UDMH). The UDMH is oxidized at ?0.38 V vs. Ag/AgCl at the hanging mercury drop electrode and detected by square-wave voltammetry. The sensitivity is about 2.3 nA 1 mg^?1 and the standard deviation (n = 8) for different standard solutions is 2.9 nA. Results obtained with apples after steam distillation agreed well with results obtained with a previously published method.