To explore the active sites for detection of nitroaromatic compounds and improve the sensing performance of carbon based materials, the commercial carbon nanoparticles (CNPs), nitric acid pre-oxidized carbon nanoparticles (OCNPs) and hydroxyl-rich carbon submicrospheres (HCSs) were systematically investigated by transmission electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectra and electrochemical tests. OCNPs, prepared from CNPs by HNO3 oxidation, contain amounts of oxygen functional groups (OFG) including -COOH, -OH, C=0 and so on. HCSs, prepared by the green and facile hydrothermal carbonization of glucose, possess the highest loading of hydroxyl groups (approximately 80% of total surface oxygen -containing groups) among these carbon materials. The HCSs modified electrode exhibits the highest current response to nitrobenzene (NB), accompanied by a favorably low background current which is only 30% of that for OCNPs. The excellent sensing performance is attributed to the abundant hydroxyl groups, which facilitate the formation of H bonding and charge -transfer interaction between electron-donating hydroxyl groups on HCSs and electron -deficiency nitroaromatic molecules. The further investigation by square wave voltammetry indicates that the HCSs modified electrode exhibits a series of well-defined current peaks for NB, dinitrobenzene (DNB) and trinitrobenzene (TNB) with high sensitivity (>6 nA p mu 1 L) and low detection limit (0.88 1.8 p,g L (1)). Moreover, the proposed sensor exhibits high reproducibility, satisfactory storage stability and good anti -interference ability. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.