Voltammetric analysis using a self-renewable non-mercury electrode

Galinstan is a new kind of electrode material and the galinstan electrode is a promising alternative to the commonly used mercury electrodes. The eutectic mixture of gallium, indium and tin is liquid at room temperature (m.p. −19°C) and its voltammetric behaviour is similar to that of mercury. The potential windows of use were determined for different pH values and are similar to those obtained with conventional mercury electrodes. Furthermore, the high hydrogen overpotential, which is characteristic for mercury, can be observed when galinstan is used as electrode material. Galinstan can be employed as a liquid electrode in the voltammetric analysis of different metal ions, such as lead and cadmium, in different supporting electrolytes. Our results indicate that the non-toxic liquid alloy galinstan could therefore become immensely important in electrochemical research as a potential surrogate material for mercury.     

Silver based mercury film electrode: Part II. The influence of aging of electrode on the electrode processes of various metal ions

The cyclic voltammetric behaviour of 8 metal ions at solid silver amalgam electrodes prepared by aging of a thin silver based mercury film electrode (SBMFE) and by deposition of silver and mercury on platinum were investigated. It was established that such electrodes behave in relation to some metals (Pb, Bi, Sn) similarly as silver electrodes i.e. the cyclic curves obtained with these electrodes at concentration 10^?3M range show a prepeak-postpeak system corresponding to deposition and dissolution of the monolayer of deposit. On the other hand under the same conditions no prepeaks were observed for cadmium, zinc and thallium. In all cases investigated the heights of anodic stripping peaks were lower on curves obtained with aged SBMFE than on those obtained with fresh SBMFE having a mercury layer 1 μm thick.     

Selective stripping voltammetric determinations employing cells for electrolysis with simultaneous ion-exchange or solvent extraction

Cells have been designed for stripping-voltammetry analyses employing graphite working electrodes and mercury film electrodes on a graphite support, permitting ion-exchange or solvent extraction separation simultaneously with the pre-electrolysis. The ion-exchange separation was tested on the determination of mercury in the presence of excess of copper(II), lead and cadmium and on the determination of bismuth in the presence of excess of copper(II). The solvent extraction separation was tested on the determination of mercury(II) in the presence of copper(II), lead and cadmium and the determination of copper(II) in the presence of bismuth. Very good results were obtained by using ion-exchange, where the sensitivity and precision of the determination are comparable with those obtained in the determinations without separation, the separation efficiency being very high, limited virtually only by the capacity of the ion-exchanger used. The solvent extraction separations yielded poorer results: the sensitivity of the determination is decreased substantially, the separation efficiency is not very high and difficulties arise from the adsorption of the organic phase on the electrode surface.     

Comparison of physicochemical speciation procedures with metal toxicity to chlorella pyrenoidosa

Metal speciation as measured by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV), adsorption on a resin with adsorbed hydrated aluminium oxide, and dialysis with receiving resins is compared with the toxicity of the metals to the freshwater green alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa Chick. In the presence of natural and synthetic ligands, similar labile fractions of metals were obtained for ASV at three electrodes (hanging mercury drop electrode, mercury film electrode and Nafion-coated mercury film electrode). The toxic fractions determined by ASV and bioassay were in reasonable agreement for zinc, cadmium and copper, and alteration of the analytical conditions provided some measure of agreement for lead. The resin with adsorbed hydrated aluminium oxide correlated well with bioassay for copper, but over-estimated lead toxicity and under-estimated cadmium toxicity. Dialysis with receiving resins under-estimated metal bioaccumulation in the presence of ligands. Metal speciation analysis for water samples gave higher toxic fractions for metals in samples of polluted river water and road runoff samples than those found in pristine river water.     

Silver based mercury film electrode: Part IV. Comparison of theoretical and experimental voltammetric results obtained for cadmium

Using the silver based mercury film electrode (SBMFE) and cyclic and stripping voltammetric techniques the behaviour of cadmium has been compared with the behaviour of lead as well as with the predictions of the theory of de Vries and van Dalen. At the SBMFE with film thickness between 0.1 and 2 μm lead behaves with good agreement with theoretical predictions and only at thicknesses higher than 2 μm some deviations occur due to collecting of the excess mercury at the bottom of the wire electrode. On the other hand even at thin film electrodes the behaviour of cadmium deviates significantly from the predictions of the theory. The height of the anodic peak decreases and its width increases; also the displacement of the potentials of both cathodic and anodic peaks is smaller than the values predicted theoretically. The deviations are caused neither by the formation of intermetallic compounds in the bulk of mercury phase nor by the formation of heterogenous cadmium amalgam; they reflect the interaction between cadmium dissolved in mercury and the solid silver amalgam which is the substrate of the mercury film. Owing to the effect discussed the stripping determination of cadmium at SBMFE is characterized by a lower sensitivity and reproducibility.     

Stripping Potentiometry of Lead,Cadmium and Copper at a Nafion Coated Glassy Carbon Electrode with Encapsulated Mercury Acetate

Abstract

The stripping potentiometric determination of lead, cadmium and copper with mercury film glassy-carbon electrodes coated with a Nafion membrane was investigated. The mercury film was plated using either mercury(II) acetate encapsulated within the Nafion membrane or a mercury(II) solution. Dissolved dioxygen was used as the stripping agent. The electrodes showed promising properties, particularly robustness and response repeatability. A linear dependence of the stripping time on concentration was found in the μg l^?1 concentration range (s.d. of intercept ≤ 0.3 μg l^?1, r.s.d. of slope ≤ 1%, for both lead and cadmium).     

Effect of surface-active compounds on voltammetric stripping analysis at the mercury film electrode

The effects of various organic compounds on the differential-pulse anodic-stripping voltammetric response at the in-situ plated mercury film electrode are explored. These effects vary from metal to metal and from one organic compound to another. The most pronounced effects are observed in measurements of copper. The main effect of the organic compound is to depress the peak current rather than change the peak shape or potential. The differences between the organic interferences observed at the mercury film electrode and those reported at the hanging mercury drop electrode are explained by the different morphology and geometry of the two electrodes. The implications of these interferences for the reliability and feasibility of stripping measurements in natural waters are discussed. Gelatin, camphor, humic acid, starch, agar, sodium dodecyl sulphate and albumin were used as representative organic compounds, and cadmium, lead, and copper as test metal ions.     

Voltammetry at the mercury film electrodes: Comparison of theoretical and experimental results obtained for indium in thiocyanate medium

The voltammetric behaviour of the In(III)-In(Hg) system was studied at the silver-, graphite-, and glassy carbon-based mercury film electrodes under cyclic and stripping conditions in thiocyanate media. The reversible curves obtained at high thiocyanate ion concentration showed a good agreement with theoretical predictions, particularly for the cathodic process. The anodic curves obtained at thin silver-based mercury film electrodes deviated from theoretical predictions due to the interactions between indium, dissolved in mercury, and the silver substrate of the film electrode. At low thiocyanate ion concentrations, where the current was controlled partly by the rate of the preceding chemical step and partly by diffusion, the variations in the film thickness affected the position of the curve as predicted theoretically for the reversible diffusion controlled case.     

Electrochemistry at carbon fibers : Part 1. Characteristics of the Mercury Film Carbon Fiber Electrode in Differential Pulse Anodic Stripping Voltammetry

Carbon fibers are proposed as a support electrode for a mercury film electrode. The response of these electrodes is evaluated for use in differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry. The mercury film is deposited in situ in aqueous solution and used to quantify cadmium in solutions of cadmium salts and organo cadmium compounds in the 1–10 μg l^-1 (ppb) concentration range. The good resolution and extremely low background current obtained allow a limit of detection at 0.04 μg Cd l^-1.     

Anodic stripping voltammetry at a mercury film electrode: baseline concentrations of cadmium,lead, and copper in selected natural waters

A simple, rapid, and inexpensive anodic stripping voltammetric method with a mercury thin film electrode is reported for the establishment of baseline concentrations of cadmium, lead, and copper in natural waters. The procedure for routine surface preparation of wax-impregnated graphite mercury film electrodes requires about 30 min. Concentrations in the 0.006–6 μg l^-1 range are determined by linear d.c. voltage sweeps; the total time for a plating and stripping cycle is 6 min or less. The need for pressure-digesting samples for copper determinations is demonstrated. The a.s.v. results correlate well with corresponding analyses performed by graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.     

The determination of copper at thin film electrodes by constant current stripping potentiometry

A comparison of the determination of copper by constant current stripping potentiometry (CCSP) at mercury and gold films has been carried out. The preferred solution conditions for the mercury film study were determined to be 0.1M ammonium acetate at pH 4.5 and 0.1M HCl for the gold film study. The influence of chloride on the stripping signal was investigated and it was found that for the mercury film conditions, well-formed stripping signals could be obtained up to a chloride concentration of 0.5 M which permitted the ready determination of copper in seawater. With the gold film, high chloride concentrations affected both the film stability and the glassy carbon surface and repeatable results were difficult to obtain. The optimized CCSP methods were applied to various aqueous samples including tap water, seawater, TCLP (acetic acid) extracts as well as TCLP extracts using groundwater and ocean water. Based on the results obtained for these various matrices, it was concluded that there are several advantages favoring the mercury film. The interference from organic components in the sample matrix on the general applicability of CCSP for the determination of copper at either a mercury or gold film is discussed.     

Anodic stripping voltammetry with the florence mercury film electrode. determination of copper,lead and cadmium in sea water

The use of the rotating glassy carbon electrode mercury plated in situ for anodic stripping voltammetry has been investigated. The choice of electrode material is discussed. The effect of instrumental parameters on the stripping response for copper, lead and cadmium in sea water is studied, the results being in accordance with the theory of thin film electrodes. The variation in the observed sensitivity for the three metals in sea water is discussed in terms of complex-forming ligands. Lastly the performance of the film electrode is compared to that of the hanging mercury drop electrode.     

Signal stability of Nafion-coated thin mercury film electrodes for stripping voltammetry

The signal stability of the Nafion-coated thin mercury film electrode (NCTMFE) was studied by using cadmium and lead as test analytes and differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry as detection method. In particular, the effect of the casting solvent and the curing procedure employed in the preparation of the polymer film was examined. Best results were obtained with N,N-dimethylacetamide as casting solvent and a two-step curing procedure in which the polymer was evaporated to dryness at 55 degrees and cured at 105 degrees with a hot-air gun. Mercury plating was performed ex situ. An NCTMFE prepared in this manner has a better signal stability than ex situ-plated as well as in situ-plated conventional mercury film electrodes.     

Cyclic and stripping voltammetry of tin at mercury hanging drop and film electrodes in acidic o-diphenol media in the presence of lead and cadmium

The influence of catechol, gallic acid and tiron on the voltammetric behaviour of tin(IV) in the presence of lead(II) and cadmium(II) was investigated at hanging drop and mercury film electrodes in perchloric acid, oxalic acid and formate supporting electrolytes. Under cyclic conditions, well separated peaks of tin, lead and cadmium are obtained in oxalic acid and formate solutions containing gallic acid or catechol; tiron suppresses the tin peaks significantly. The efficiency of the deposition of tin in the presence of catechol or gallic acid is less than that of lead, particularly at long deposition time. The best separation of the stripping peaks of tin, lead and cadmium is obtained in oxalic acid solution containing gallic acid or catechol. In perchloric acid solution containing gallic acid or catechol the second peak corresponding to tin oxidation is useful for determinations of tin in the presence of lead. Tin(IV) at the 10^-8 mol l^-1 level can be detemined in various salt solutions and in water samples in the presence of five-fold amounts of lead and cadmium.     

Effect of model organic compounds on square-wave voltammetric stripping analysis at the Nafion/chelating agent mercury film electrodes

The effect of various organic compounds on the Nafion/chelating agent mercury film electrodes (NCAMFEs) in square-wave anodic-stripping voltammetry (SWASV) is explored. Two chelating agents used to prepare the NCAMFEs are dimethylglyoxime and 2,2'-bipyridyl. Triton X-100, sodium dodecyl sulfate, albumin, gelatin, starch, camphor, and humic acid are used as model organic compounds, while cadmium, lead, and copper are used as test metal ions. The NCAMFEs are considerably more resistant to organic interferences than the Nafion-coated mercury film electrode. The implications of these interferences for the reliability and feasibility of stripping measurements using the NCAMFEs in real samples are discussed. Results presented for untreated urine and natural water samples demonstrate the analytical utility of the NCAMFEs in SWASV.     

Nafion-coated mercury thin film electrodes for batch-injection analysis with anodic stripping voltammetry

Batch-injection analysis exhibits the advantages of rapid and simple electroanalysis of microlitre samples. Nafion-coated mercury thin film electrodes have been evaluated for use in batch-injection analysis with anodic stripping voltammetry (BIA-ASV). The advantages of Nafion-coated electrodes in reducing electrode contamination by components of complex matrices are combined with the analysis of small microlitre sample volumes. The measurement of traces of lead and cadmium is used to illustrate the approach. An optimised procedure for formation of Nafion-coated mercury thin film electrodes is evolved. The relative sensitivity for BIA-ASV at electrodes with and without Nafion coatings is 0.9 and 0.8 for cadmium and lead respectively; detection limits are 2 x 10(-9) M and 4 x 10(-9) M. Studies were done concerning the influence of surfactants and their effect was found to be much less with the Nafion film coating. Applications to real environmental samples are demonstrated.     

Activation analysis by internal conversion electron spectra

The applicability of instrumental activation analysis by the conversion radiation of impurities in matrices with high specific gamma-activity has been studied. An iron-free toroidal magnetic β-spectrometer with 2 per cent resolution and 20 per cent transmission for 4 was used for measurement. The spectrometer was made at the Activation Analysis Laboratory of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR. Comparative gamma- and beta-spectra of samples of amorphous selenium thin films with palladium, cadmium, indium and mercury impurities were obtained. It was established that the analysis by the spectra of internal conversion electrons enables to increase the detection sensitivity of these elements in selenium as compared to the gamma-spectrometric method. The procedure of mercury determination in amorphous selenium films was developed and by this method the investigation of the dependence of photoconductive properties of the film upon the total mercury content and its distribution on the film surface was carried out.     

Potentiometric stripping analysis for zinc,cadmium. lead and copper in sea water

Analytical procedures for the determination of zinc(II), cadmium (II), lead(II) and copper(II) in sea water by potentiometric stripping analysis are described. The results are compared with those obtained by a combined solvent extraction-atomic absorption method both in the laboratory and on-board ship. The detection limits for zinc, cadmium, lead and copper are 0.03, 0.03, 0.01 and 0.02 μg l^-1, respectively, for a total analysis time of about 75 min. A very thin mercury film is useful in the determination of lead and copper.     

Polymer-Mercury Coated Screen-Printed Sensors for Electrochemical Stripping Analysis of Heavy Metals

In the perspective of in-field stripping analysis of heavy metals, the use and disposal of toxic mercury solutions (necessary to plate a mercury film on a carbon electrode surface) presents a problem. The aim of this work was the development of mercury coated screen-printed electrodes previously prepared in the lab and ready to use in-field. Thus some commercially available polymers like Nafion®, Eastman Kodak AQ29®, and Methocel® were investigated as mercury entrapping systems for electrochemical stripping analysis of heavy metals. Screen-printed disposable cells with a silver pseudo-reference electrode, a graphite counter electrode, and a graphite working electrode were used. To modify the sensor, the polymer solution was cast onto the carbon working electrode surface. Detection limits of 0.8 and 1 μg/L were obtained for lead and cadmium respectively. Since Methocel® based electrodes showed the best performance, they were used for the analysis of real samples. The results were compared with those obtained using a classical thin mercury film electrode and ICP spectroscopy.

All the experiments reported here were performed in un-deareated solutions as required for in-field analysis.     

Comparison of carrier elements for coprecipitation and graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

The group IIIB elements (aluminum, gallium and indium) and iron(III) were studied from the standpoint of the advantageous combination of coprecipitation and graphite-furnace atomic absorption Spectrometry (GFAAS). Milligram quantities of four hydroxides were precipitated at different pH's from solutions containing traces of copper(II) and cadmium(II) ions, in order to examine the effect of pH on the coprecipitation. Almost similar results were obtained for gallium, indium and iron hydroxides, with which the copper and cadmium were coprecipitated nearly completely at pH>7. In case of aluminum hydroxide, the optimal pH range was narrow because of the redissolution of the precipitate in alkaline solutions. The removal of indium carrier was successfully achieved by volatilization as bromide at the pyrolysis stage in GFAAS, otherwise serious background absorption interfered with the trace determination. Volatilization loss of cadmium was eliminated by adding a small amount of miourea. Gallium carrier was mostly removed as chloride, but large background absorption still occurred in the determination of cadmium.