Quantitation of bacteria through adsorption of intracellular biomolecules on carbon paste and screen-printed carbon electrodes and voltammetry of redox-active probes

A new electrochemical method for the quantitation of bacteria that is rapid, inexpensive, and amenable to miniaturization is reported. Cyclic voltammetry was used to quantitate M. luteus, C. sporogenes, and E. coli JM105 in exponential and stationary phases, following exposure of screen-printed carbon working electrodes (SPCEs) to lysed culture samples. Ferricyanide was used as a probe. The detection limits (3s) were calculated and the dynamic ranges for E. coli (exponential and stationary phases), M. luteus (exponential and stationary phases), and C. sporogenes (exponential phase) lysed by lysozyme were 3 × 10⁴ to 5 × 10⁶ colony-forming units (CFU) mL⁻¹, 5 × 10⁶ to 2 × 10⁸ CFU mL⁻¹ and 3 × 10³ to 3 × 10⁵ CFU mL⁻¹, respectively. Good overlap was obtained between the calibration curves when the electrochemical signal was plotted against the dry bacterial weight, or between the protein concentration in the bacterial lysate. In contrast, unlysed bacteria did not change the electrochemical signal of ferricyanide. The results indicate that the reduction of the electrochemical signal in the presence of the lysate is mainly due to the fouling of the electrode by proteins. Similar results were obtained with carbon-paste electrodes although detection limits were better with SPCEs. The method described herein was applied to quantitation of bacteria in a cooling tower water sample. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Electrochemical behaviors of metol on ionic-liquid-modified carbon paste electrode and its analytical application

The electrochemical behaviors of metol on an ionic liquid N-butylpyridinium hexafluorophosphate modified carbon paste electrode (IL-CPE) were studied in this paper. The results indicated that a pair of well-defined quasi-reversible redox peaks of metol appeared with the decrease of overpotential and the increase of redox peak current, which was the characteristics of electrocatalytic oxidation. The electrocatalytic mechanism was discussed and the electrochemical parameters were calculated with results of the charge-transfer coefficient (α) as 0.45, the electrode reaction rate constant (k _s) as 4.02 × 10⁻³ s⁻¹, and the diffusion coefficient (D) as 6.35 × 10⁻⁵ cm²/s. Under the optimal conditions, the anodic peak current was linear with the metol concentration in the range of 5.0 × 10⁻⁶ ∼ 1.0 × 10⁻³ mol/L (n = 11, γ = 0.994) and the detection limit was estimated as 2.33 × 10⁻⁶ mol/L (3σ). The proposed method was successfully applied to determination of metol content in synthetic samples and photographic solutions.     

CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> corrosion inhibition of X-70 pipeline steel by carboxyamido imidazoline

The corrosion inhibition of X-70 pipeline steel in saltwater saturated with CO₂ at 50 °C with carboxyamido imidazoline has been evaluated by using electrochemical techniques. Techniques included polarization curves, linear polarization resistance, electrochemical impedance, and electrochemical noise measurements. Inhibitor concentrations were 0, 1.6 × 10⁻⁵, 3.32 × 10⁻⁵, 8.1 × 10⁻⁵, 1.6 × 10⁻⁴, and 3.32 × 10⁻⁴ mol l⁻¹. All techniques showed that the best corrosion inhibition was obtained by adding 8.1 × 10⁻⁵ mol l⁻¹ of carboxyamido imidazoline. For inhibitor concentrations higher than 8.1 × 10⁻⁵ mol l⁻¹ a desorption process occurs, and an explanation has been given for this phenomenon.     

Perchlorate selective membrane electrodes based on a platinum complex

Three platinum(II) complexes were synthesized and studied to characterize their ability as an anion carrier in a PVC membrane electrode. The polymeric membrane electrodes (PME) and also coated glassy carbon electrodes (CGCE) prepared with one of these complexes showed excellent response characteristics to perchlorate ions. The electrodes exhibited Nernstian responses to ClO₄ ⁻ ions over a wide concentration range from 1.5 × 10⁻⁶ to 2.7 × 10⁻¹ M for PME and 5.0 × 10⁻⁷ to 1.9 × 10⁻¹ M for CGCE with low detection limits (9.0 × 10⁻⁷ M for PME and 4.0 × 10⁻⁷ M for CGCE). The electrodes possess fast response time, satisfactory reproducibility, appropriate lifetime and, most importantly, good selectivity toward ClO₄ ⁻ relative to a variety of other common anions. The potentiometric response of the electrodes is independent of the pH of the test solution in the pH range 2.0–9.0. The proposed sensors were used in potentiometric determination of perchlorate ions in mineral water and urine samples. Correspondence: Ahmad Soleymanpour, Department of Chemistry, Damghan Basic Science University, Damghan, Iran.     

Acetylcholinesterase-based biosensors for quantification of carbofuran, carbaryl, methylparaoxon, and dichlorvos in 5% acetonitrile

Amperometric acetylcholinesterase biosensors have been developed for quantification of the pesticides carbofuran, carbaryl, methylparaoxon, and dichlorvos in phosphate buffer containing 5% acetonitrile. Three different biosensors were built using three different acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzymes—AChE from electric eel, and genetically engineered (B394) and wild-type (B1) AChE from Drosophila melanogaster. Enzymes were immobilized on cobalt(II) phthalocyanine-modified electrodes by entrapment in a photocrosslinkable polymer (PVA-AWP). Each biosensor was tested against the four pesticides. Good operational stability, immobilisation reproducibility, and storage stability were obtained for each biosensor. The best detection limits were obtained with the B394 enzyme for dichlorvos and methylparaoxon (9.6 × 10⁻¹¹ and 2.7 × 10⁻⁹ mol L⁻¹, respectively), the B1 enzyme for carbofuran (4.5 × 10⁻⁹ mol L⁻¹), and both the B1 enzyme and the AChE from electric eel for carbaryl (1.6 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹). Finally, the biosensors were used for the direct detection of the pesticides in spiked apple samples.     

Solid state voltammetric characterization of iron hexacyanoferrate encapsulated in silica

We describe a sol-gel approach by which iron hexacyanoferrate is immobilized in silica in a manner suited to investigation by electrochemistry in the absence of a contacting liquid phase. Such physicochemical parameters as concentration of redox sites (C _o) and apparent (effective) diffusion coefficient (D _app) are estimated by performing cyclic voltammetric and potential step experiments in two time regimes, which are characterized by linear and spherical diffusional patterns, respectively. Values of D _app and C _o thereby obtained are 2.0 × 10⁻⁶ cm² s⁻¹ and 1.4 × 10⁻² mol dm⁻³. The D _app value is larger than expected for a typical solid redox-conducting material. Analogous measurements done in iron(III) hexacyanoferrate(III) solutions of comparable concentrations, 1.0 × 10⁻² and 5.0 × 10⁻³ mol dm⁻³, yield D _app on the level of 5–6 × 10⁻⁶ cm² s⁻¹. Thus, the dynamics of charge propagation in this sol-gel material is almost as high as in the liquid phase. The residual water in the silica, along with the pore structure, are important to the overall mechanism of charge transport, which apparently is limited by physical diffusion rather than electron self-exchange. Under conditions of a solid state voltammetric experiment which utilizes an ultramicroelectrode, encapsulated iron hexacyanoferrate redox centers seem to be in the dispersed colloidal state rather than in a form of the rigid polymeric film. Received: 8 April 1999 / Accepted: 13 August 1999     

Binding properties of a monoclonal antibody against the Cry1Ab from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus Thuringensis</Emphasis> for the development of a capillary electrophoresis competitive immunoassay

Experimental work performed was aimed at the assessment of a competitive capillary electrophoresis immunoassay with laser-induced fluorescence (CEIA-LIF) detection for the determination of the Cry1Ab endotoxin from Bacillus thuringensis. The binding constant of a monoclonal antibody, raised against the insecticide protein Cry1Ab, was determined on a microplate by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and compared with that obtained in-capillary under nonequilibrium separation conditions. The two binding constants appear comparable—(5.0 ± 1.2) × 10⁶ M⁻¹ and (9.06 ± 5.7) × 10⁶ M⁻¹—reflecting good preservation of the antibody binding behavior in the capillary electrophoresis format. These results allow use of a calibration curve possible between 0.2 and 150 nM of endotoxin protein, with a limit of detection of 0.5 nM (33 μg L⁻¹). Preliminary recovery experiments on maize extracts spiked with known amounts of Cry1Ab endotoxin also showed promising results in detecting the toxin in complex real matrices.     

Competitive capacitive biosensing technique (CCBT): A novel technique for monitoring low molecular mass analytes using glucose assay as a model study

A novel technique for monitoring of low molecular mass analytes using a flow-injection capacitive biosensor is presented. The method is based on the ability of a small molecular mass analyte to displace a large analyte–carrier conjugate from the binding sites of an immobilized biorecognition element with weak affinity to both compounds. A model study was performed on glucose as the small molecular mass analyte. In the absence of glucose, binding of a glucose polymer or a glycoconjugate to concanavalin A results in a capacitance decrease. Upon introduction of glucose, it displaces a part of the bound glucose polymer or glycoconjugate leading to a partial restoration of capacitance. Experimental results show that the change in capacitance depends linearly on glucose concentration within the range from 1.0 × 10⁻⁵ to 1.0 × 10⁻¹ M, corresponding to 1.8 μg ml⁻¹ to 18 mg ml⁻¹ in a logarithmic plot, with a detection limit of 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ (0.18 μg ml⁻¹) under optimized conditions. In addition, by modifying the molecular mass of the glucose polymer, amount of biorecognition element, and buffer composition, we were able to tune the analyte-sensing range. The developed technique has the benefits of expanded dynamic range, high sensitivity, and excellent reusability.     

Simple sensor for simultaneous determination of dihydroxybenzene isomers

A simple sensor based on bare carbon ionic liquid electrode was fabricated for simultaneous determination of dihydroxybenzene isomers in 0.1 mol L⁻¹ phosphate buffer solution (pH 6.0). The oxidation peak potential of hydroquinone was about 0.136 V, catechol was about 0.240 V, and resorcinol 0.632 V by differential pulse voltammetric measurements, which indicated that the dihydroxybenzene isomers could be separated absolutely. The sensor showed wide linear behaviors in the range of 5.0 × 10⁻⁷–2.0 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ for hydroquinone and catechol, 3.5 × 10⁻⁶–1.535 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ for resorcinol, respectively. And the detection limits of the three dihydroxybenzene isomers were 5.0 × 10⁻⁸, 2.0 × 10⁻⁷, 5.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹, respectively (S/N = 3). The proposed method could be applied to the determination of dihydroxybenzene isomers in artificial wastewater and the recovery was from 93.9% to 104.6%.     

Ultra-trace level determination of nitrite in human saliva by spectrofluorimetry using 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-8-(3,4-diaminophenyl)-difluoroboradiaza-s-indacene

A rapid, highly sensitive and selective fluorogenic method for the determination of traces of nitrite is described. It is based on the reaction of weakly fluorescent 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-8-(3,4-diaminophenyl)-difluoroboradiaza-s-indacence (DAMBO) and nitrite in acidic aqueous solution to give 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-8-(5-benzotriazolyl)-difluoroboradiaza-s-indacene (DAMBO-T), which is highly fluorescent. The optimum reaction conditions and other analytical parameters are investigated to enhance the sensitivity of the method. The fluorescence enhancement at 507 nm is linearly related to the concentration of nitrite in the range of 6.0 × 10⁻⁹–5.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ with a correlation coefficient of R = 0.9995 (n = 10) and a detection limit of 1.0 × 10⁻¹⁰ mol L⁻¹. The R.S.D. is 1.12% (n = 10). The method is applied to the determination of nitrite in human saliva samples with the recoveries of 96. 24–105.30%. Correspondence: Ke-Jing Huang, Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, P.R. China     

The electrochemical polymerization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">o</Emphasis>-phenylenediamine on <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-tyrosine functionalized glassy carbon electrode and its application

The polymerization of o-phenylenediamine (OPD) on l-tyrosine (Tyr) functionalized glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and its electro-catalytic oxidation towards ascorbic acid (AA) had been studied in this report. l-Tyrosine was first covalently grafted on GCE surface via electrochemical oxidation, which was followed by the electrochemical polymerization of OPD on the l-tyrosine functionalized GCE. Then, the poly(o-phenylenediamine)/l-tyrosine composite film modified GCE (POPD-Tyr/GCE) was obtained. X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscope (SEM), and electrochemical techniques have been used to characterize the grafting of l-tyrosine and the polymerization and morphology of OPD film on GCE surface. Due to the doping of the carboxylic functionalities in l-tyrosine molecules, the POPD film showed good redox activity in neutral medium, and thus, the POPD-Tyr/GCE exhibited excellent electrocatalytic response to AA in 0.1 mol l⁻¹ phosphate buffer solution (PBS, pH 6.8). The anode peak potential of AA shifted from 0.58 V at GCE to 0.35 V at POPD-Tyr/GCE with a greatly enhanced current response. A linear calibration graph was obtained over the AA concentration range of 2.5 × 10⁻⁴–1.5 × 10^–3 mol l⁻¹ with a correlation coefficient of 0.9998. The detection limit (3δ) for AA was 9.2 × 10⁻⁵ mol l⁻¹. The modified electrode showed good stability and reproducibility and had been used for the determination of AA content in vitamin C tablet with satisfactory results.     

Determination of viable <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> using antibody-coated paramagnetic beads with fluorescence detection

A rapid and convenient assay system was developed to detect viable Escherichia coli in water. The target bacteria were recovered from solution by immunomagnetic separation and incubated in tryptic soy broth with isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside, which induces formation of β-galactosidase in viable bacteria. Lysozyme was used to lyse E. coli cells and release the β-galactosidase. β-Galactosidase converted 4-methylumbelliferyl-β-d-galactoside to 4-methylumbelliferone (4-MU), which was measured by fluorescence spectrophotometry using excitation and emission wavelengths of 355 and 460 nm, respectively. Calibration graphs of 4-MU fluorescence intensity versus E. coli concentration showed a detection range between 8 × 10⁴ and 1.6 × 10⁷ cfu mL⁻¹, with a total analysis time of less than 3 h. The advantage of this method is that it detects viable cells because it is based on the activity of the enzyme intrinsic to live E. coli.     

Electrochemical behavior and determination of epinephrine at a mercaptoacetic acid self-assembled gold electrode

The electrochemical behavior of epinephrine (EP) at a mercaptoacetic acid (MAA) self-assembled monolayer modified gold electrode was studied. The MAA/Au electrode is demonstrated to promote the electrochemical response of epinephrine by cyclic voltammetry. The possible reaction mechanism is also discussed. The diffusion coefficient D of EP is 6.85 × 10⁻⁶ cm² s⁻¹. In 0.1 mol L⁻¹ phosphate buffer (pH 7.20), a sensitive oxidation peak was observed at 0.177 V, and the peak current is proportional to the concentration of EP in the range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁵–2.0 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ and 1.0 × 10⁻⁷–1.0 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹. The detection limit is 5 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹. The modified electrode is highly stable and can be applied to the determination of EP in practical injection samples. The method is simple, quick, sensitive and accurate.     

Voltammetric sensor for nitrite determination based on its electrocatalytic reduction at the surface of p-duroquinone modified carbon paste electrode

A p-duroquinone (tetramethyl-p-benzoquinone) modified carbon paste electrode (DMCPE) was employed to study the electrocatalytic reduction of nitrite in aqueous solutions using cyclic voltammetry (CV), double potential-step chronoamperometry, and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). It has found that under an optimum condition (pH 1.00), the reduction of nitrite at the surface of DMCPE occurs at a potential of about 660 mV less negative than that of an unmodified carbon paste electrode (CPE). The catalytic rate constant, k′_h, based on Andrieux and Saveant theoretical model was calculated as for scan rate 10 mV s^-1. Also, the apparent diffusion coefficient, D _app, was found as 2.5 × 10^–10 and 3.61 × 10^–5 cm² s^-1 for p-duroquinone in carbon paste matrix and nitrite in aqueous buffered solution, respectively. The values for αn_α were estimated to be −0.65 and −0.19 for the reduction of nitrite at the surface of DMCPE and CPE, respectively. The electrocatalytic reduction peak currents showed a linear dependence on the nitrite concentration, and a linear analytical curve was obtained in the ranges of 5.0 × 10^–5 M to 8.0 × 10^–3 M and 6.0 × 10^–6 M to 8.0 × 10^–4 M of nitrite concentration with CV and DPV methods, respectively. The detection limits (2σ) were determined as 2.5 × 10^–5 M and 4.3 × 10^–6 M by CV and DPV methods. This method was also applied as a simple, selective and precise method for determination of nitrite in real samples (the weak liquor from the wood and paper factory of Mazandaran province in Iran) by using a standard addition method.     

Simultaneous and sensitive determination of procaine and its metabolite for pharmaceutical quality control and pharmacokinetic research by using a graphite paste electrode

A simple, rapid, sensitive, and accurate method for simultaneous electrochemical determination of procaine and its metabolite (p-aminobenzoic acid, PABA) for pharmaceutical quality control and pharmacokinetic research was developed using a graphite paste electrode. The differential pulse voltammetric results revealed that procaine and p-aminobenzoic acid, respectively, showed well-defined anodic oxidation peaks on a carbon paste electrode with a current peak separation of 155 mV at a scan rate of 100 mV s⁻¹. This well separation of the current peaks for these two compounds in voltammetry enables us to simultaneously determine them. Good linearity (r > 0.998) between oxidation peak current and concentration was obtained in the range of 5.0 × 10⁻⁷–5.0 × 10⁻⁵ M for procaine and 5.0 × 10⁻⁷–2.0 × 10⁻⁵ M for PABA in pH 4.50 acetate buffer solution. The detection limit for both analytes is 5 × 10⁻⁸ M (S/N = 3:1). The present voltammetric method has been successfully used to determine trace p-aminobenzoic acid in procaine hydrochloride injection and procaine in plasma with a linear relationship of current to its concentration ranging from 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ to 5.0 × 10⁻⁵ M (correlation coefficient of 0.9981) with a low detection limit of 5.0 × 10⁻⁷ M (S/N = 3:1). This validated method is promising to the study of pharmacokinetics in Sprague–Dawley rat and rabbit plasma after an intravenous administration of procaine hydrochloride injection.     

Adsorption voltammetry of the zirconium-alizarin red S complex at a multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified carbon paste electrode

We used a carbon paste electrode modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes as a working electrode and studied the electrochemical behavior of zirconium-alizarin red S complex on it. It was found that the modified electrode exhibited a significant catalytic effect toward the reduction of free alizarin red S and the complex. The second derivative linear scan voltammograms of the complex were recorded by a polarographic analyser from 0 to −1000 mV (vs. SCE), and it was found that the complex can be adsorbed on the surface of the modified electrode, yielding a peak at about −470 mV, corresponding to the reduction of alizarin red S in the complex. The linear range was found to be 2.0 × 10⁻¹¹–8.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹, and the detection limit was 1.0 × 10⁻¹¹ mol L⁻¹ (S/N = 3) for 3 min accumulation. The procedure was successfully applied to the determination of trace amounts of zirconium in the ore samples. Correspondence: Pei-Hong Deng, Department of Chemistry and Material Science, Hengyang Normal University, Hengyang Hunan 421008, P.R. China     

Sensitive determination of nitric oxide in some rat tissues using polymer monolith microextraction coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A simple, sensitive, selective, and low-cost method is proposed for rapidly determining nitric oxide (NO) in some rat tissues. Polymer monolith microextraction (PMME) using a poly(methacrylic acid–ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) (MAA-EGDMA) monolithic column was combined with derivatization of NO using 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-8-(3′,4′-diaminophenyl)-difluoroboradiaza-s-indacene (TMDABODIPY), and this was used to analyze the derivatives of NO by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection at λ _ex/λ _em = 498/507 nm. The baseline separation of TMDABODIPY and its NO derivative is performed under simple conditions in which a C₁₈ column is used and eluted with 50 mmol L⁻¹ ethanolamine and methanol. The conditions for the extraction of NO derivatives were optimized. The limit of detection of NO was 2 × 10⁻¹² mol L⁻¹ (S/N = 3). The linearity range of the method was 9 × 10⁻¹¹−4.5 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹. The interday and intraday relative standard deviations were less than 5%. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of NO levels in some rat tissue samples including heart, kidney, and liver with recoveries varying from 87.1 to 95.2%.     

Adsorptive anodic stripping voltammetry of zirconium(IV)-alizarin red S complex at a carbon paste electrode

A sensitive adsorptive anodic stripping procedure for the determination of trace zirconium at a carbon paste electrode (CPE) has been developed. The method is based on adsorptive accumulation of the Zr(IV)-alizarin red S(ARS) complex onto the surface of the CPE, followed by oxidation of adsorbed species. The optimal experimental conditions include the use of 0.10 mol · L⁻¹ ammonium acetate buffer (pH 4.3), ARS, an accumulation potential of 0.20 V (versus SCE), an accumulation time of 2 min, a scan rate of 200 mV · s⁻¹ and a second-order derivative linear scan mode. The oxidation peak for the complex appears at 0.69 V. The peak current is proportional to the concentration of Zr(IV) over the range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁹–2.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol · L⁻¹, and the detection limit is 3 × 10⁻¹⁰ mol · L⁻¹ for a 2 min adsorption time. The relative standard deviations (n = 8) for 5.0 × 10⁻⁸ and 5.0 × 10⁻⁹ mol · L⁻¹ Zr(IV) are 3.3 and 4.8%, respectively. The proposed method was applied to the determination of zirconium in ore samples with satisfactory results.     

A Fiber Optode for p-Nitrophenol Based on Covalently Bound 9-Allylaminoacridine

 Using 9-allylaminoacridine synthesized in this laboratory as the fluorescent agent an fiber optode for p-nitrophenol (p-Np) has been prepared. 9-Allylaminoacridine has a polymerizable olefin unit and can be copolymerized with hydrophilic monomer 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate (HPMA) under UV irradiation. On silanized activated glass surface a 9-allylaminoacridine containing HPMA membrane has been covalently bound forming a stable optode membrane free of leaching problem. The analytical performance characteristics including reversibility, reproducibility, short-term stability and interference have been evaluated. The optode has relatively long lifetime with the spectral response characteristics not changing after one month use. The plot of log(I ₀/I − 1) versus logarithm of the p-NP solution concentration can piecewise be fitted with the straight line of the form of Stern-Volmer equation, with a detection limit of 9.0 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹. The relative standard deviation obtained from eight separate determinations for two p-NP concentrations, 1.0 × 10⁻⁵ and 4.0 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹, are 2.36% and 1.34%, respectively. p-Np can be determined in water samples with satisfactory recoveries. Received April 13, 2000. Revision September 28, 2000.     

Determination of thiocyanate ions at nanolevel in real samples using coated graphite electrode based on synthesised macrocyclic Zn(II) complex

The electrode characteristics and selectivities of PVC-based thiocyanate selective polymeric membrane electrode (PME) incorporating the newly synthesized zinc complex of 6,7:14,15-Bzo₂-10,11-(4-methylbenzene)-[15]-6,8,12,14-tetraene-9,12-N₂-1,5-O₂ (I ₁ ) and zinc complex of 6,7:14,15-Bzo₂-10,11-(4-methylbenzene)-[15]-6,14-diene-9,12-dimethylacrylate-9,12-N₂-1,5-O₂ (I ₂ ) are reported here. The best response was observed with the membrane having a composition of I₂:PVC:o-NPOE:HTAB in the ratio of 6:33:59:2 (w/w; milligram). This electrode exhibited Nernstian slope for thiocyanate ions over working concentration range of 4.4 × 10⁻⁷ to 1.0 × 10⁻² mol L⁻¹ with detection limit of 2.2 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹. The performance of this electrode was compared with coated graphite electrode (CGE), which showed better response characteristics w.r.t Nernstian slope 59.0 ± 0.2 mV decade⁻¹ activity, wide concentration range of 8.9 × 10⁻⁸ to 1.0 × 10⁻² mol L⁻¹ and detection limit of 6.7 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹. The response time for CGE and PME was found to be 8 and 10 s, respectively. The proposed electrode (CGE) was successfully applied to direct determination of thiocyanate in biological and environmental samples and also as indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of SCN⁻ ion.