Hexacyanoferrate-based composite ion-sensitive electrodes for voltammetry

Composite electrodes made of graphite, paraffin and metal hexacyanoferrates exhibit a voltammetric response of the hexacyanoferrate ions, the potential of which depends linearly on the logarithm of concentration of alkali and alkaline-earth metal ions. This behaviour has been observed on account of the fact that the electrochemical reaction is accompanied by an exchange of these ions between the solution and the zeolitic lattice of the hexacyanoferrates for charge compensation. The voltammetric determination of the formal potential of these electrodes in a solution allows the quantitative analysis of the ions which are exchanged between the metal hexacyanoferrates and the aqueous solutions. Iron(III), copper(II), silver(I), nickel(II) and cadmium(II) hexacyanoferrates have been studied for the determination of H(+), Li(+), Na(+), K(+), Rb(+), Cs(+), NH(+)(4), Mg(2+), Ca(2+) and Ba(2+). In some cases, the selectivity constants are as low as 3.10(-4), or even so small that their exact value is inaccessible. Electrodes made of iron (III), copper (II), silver (I), nickel (II) and cadmium (II) hexacyanoferrates are most suitable for the determination of potassium ions. Electrodes with nickel (II) and cadmium (II) hexacyanoferrates are also suitable for the determination of caesium ions. The working range of the electrodes also depends on the conductivity of the solutions and can range from 10(-5) to 1 mol l(-1). Typical standard deviations of the potential measurements are 3 mV.     

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.     

Evaluation of micromolar compleximetric titrations for the determination of the complexing capacity of natural waters

The titration of micromolar levels of complexing agents with metal ion titrants, and voltammetric methods to locate the equivalence point, has been evaluated experimentally and theoretically. Both anodic stripping voltammetry and differential pulse polarography give systematically low results if labile metal ions are used as titrants. Low-temperature (0 °C) dual-cell anodic stripping voltammetry greatly minimizes the effects of metal complex lability but the mercury film electrodes deteriorate rapidly because of temperature cycling. A micromolar compleximetric titration with a voltammetric end-point is not a practical method for determining the complexing capacity of natural waters.     

Decreased ascorbate sensitivity with nafion-coated carbon fibre electrodes in combination with copper(II) ions for the electrochemical determination of electroactive substances in vivo

A Nafion coating is applied on voltammetric carbon fibre electrodes. This treatment lowered the sensitivity to ascorbate and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), and increased that for dopamine. Electrochemical oxidation with a 70-Hz, 3-V, anodic triangular-wave voltage was used for pretreatment before the Nafion coating. The inclusion of copper ions in the Nafion film further decreased the sensitivity to ascorbic acid, but did not significantly affect to dopamine or DOPAC. In-vitro equilibration with a buffer of appropriate copper concentration is recommended for pretreatment of carbon fibre electrodes before their use in in-vivo voltammetry.     

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.     

Hexacyanoferrate-based composite ion-sensitive electrodes for voltammetry

Composite electrodes made of graphite, paraffin and metal hexacyanoferrates exhibit a voltammetric response of the hexacyanoferrate ions, the potential of which depends linearly on the logarithm of concentration of alkali and alkaline-earth metal ions. This behaviour has been observed on account of the fact that the electrochemical reaction is accompanied by an exchange of these ions between the solution and the zeolitic lattice of the hexacyanoferrates for charge compensation. The voltammetric determination of the formal potential of these electrodes in a solution allows the quantitative analysis of the ions which are exchanged between the metal hexacyanoferrates and the aqueous solutions. Iron(III), copper(II), silver(I), nickel(II) and cadmium(II) hexacyanoferrates have been studied for the determination of H⁺, Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺, Cs⁺, NH⁺₄, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺ and Ba²⁺. In some cases, the selectivity constants are as low as 310^-4, or even so small that their exact value is inaccessible. Electrodes made of iron (III), copper (II), silver (I), nickel (II) and cadmium (II) hexacyanoferrates are most suitable for the determination of potassium ions. Electrodes with nickel (II) and cadmium (II) hexacyanoferrates are also suitable for the determination of caesium ions. The working range of the electrodes also depends on the conductivity of the solutions and can range from 10^-5 to 1 moll^-1. Typical standard deviations of the potential measurements are 3 mV.     

Electrochemically Generated Recognition Sites in Self‐doped Polyaniline Modified Electrodes for Voltammetric and Potentiometric Determination of Copper(II) Ion

Chemical recognition elements for copper(II) ion have been generated in electrodes modified with poly(aniline‐co‐metanilic acid), P(An‐co‐MA), membrane and the resulting electrodes were used as selective sensors for voltammetric and potentiometric determination of this ion in an extended pH range. The P(An‐co‐MA) membrane was electrodeposited from aqueous mixed monomer solutions of An and MA, without the presence of a supporting electrolyte. For generating the recognition elements, P(An‐co‐MA) modified electrodes were subjected to several consecutive reduction/oxidation potential steps in copper(II) ion solution. It seems that during these potential steps, the receptor sites of the membrane are adjusted to the size, complexing property and hard/soft nature of copper(II) ion. This electrochemically mediated templating process, provided a selective sensor for determination of copper(II) ion. The results of preconcentration/differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry, indicated analytical relation between the peak current and concentration of copper(II) from 1.0×10⁻⁹ to 1.0×10⁻⁴ M. The interference effect of various metal ions was explored and it was found that only mercury and silver ions show a considerable interference. The sensor exhibited selective potentiometric response for copper(II) over a wide concentration range (1.0×10⁻⁸ to 1.0×10⁻³ M) with a Nernstian slope of 27.9±0.3 mV per decade of copper(II) ion activity.     

Stripping voltammetry of copper and lead using gold electrodes modified with self-assembled monolayers

One problem associated with using bare solid metal electrodes, such as gold and platinum, in stripping analysis to determine heavy metal ions such as lead and copper ions in dilute solutions is that underpotential deposition (UPD) gives multiple stripping peaks in the analysis of mixtures. These peaks are often overlapped and cannot be conveniently used for analytical purposes. Bifunctional alkylthiols, such as 3-mercaptopropionic acid, with an ionizable group on the other terminal end of the thiol can form self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on the surface of the gold electrode. It is shown that such an SAM-modified gold electrode minimizes the UPD effects for the stripping analysis of lead and copper. The anodic peak potential shifts and the peak shape changes, indicating that the SAM changes the deposition and stripping steps of these heavy metal ions. Thus, the sensitivity levels for both single species and mixtures can be significantly improved for the conventional solid electrodes. The mechanism of the deposition reaction at the SAM-modified gold electrodes is discussed. Received: 29 May 1997 / Accepted: 24 June 1997     

Metal film electrodes prepared with a reversibly deposited mediator in voltammetric analysis of metal ions

Electrochemical stripping analysis is recognized as a powerful technique for trace metals owing its remarkable sensitivity, relatively inexpensive instrumentation, ability for multielement determination and capable of determining elements accurately at trace and ultra-trace levels. The success of voltammetric sensing procedure depends mainly on the proper choice and preparation of the working electrode. The article reviews the development and application of metal film electrodes (bismuth, lead, and antimony film electrodes) prepared with a reversibly deposited mediator for stripping voltammetric determination of metal ions (Ni(II), Sn(IV), Hg(II), U(VI), Cd(II), Pb(II), and Cr(VI)). In this electrochemical, defect-mediated, thin-film growth method, the mediator is periodically deposited and the stripped from the surface, and this serves to significantly increase the density of islands of atoms of interest metal, what in consequence improves the electrochemical properties of these electrodes, because of the increase in the active surface area of electrode.     

Spectroscopic confirmation of electrocatalytic behavior of amperometric carbohydrate detection on copper electrode

Working electrodes made of copper have been proved applicable in voltammetric analysis of different substances like sugars, amino acids playing important role in living organisms. Advantageously, copper electrodes are free of electrode passivation by the reaction product of electrochemical oxidation in cases, when the fouling of platinum- or carbon based conventional working electrodes is common.Suggestions, experimentally more or less supported, have been published about the electrode reaction involved for explanation. To obtain further hints about electrode process extensive controlled potential electrolysis of certain monosaccharides have been carried out in basic media and the reaction media have been analyzed with atomic absorption spectrometry, voltammetry and ion chromatography. Formate ions were detected as the major product, and their concentration was measured, while only low concentration of copper could be detected. From the charge passed and the concentration changes the number of electrons exchanged could be determined. The results are direct proof of the electrocatalytic nature of the electrode process and they contradict the considerable involvement of electrode corrosion.     

Simultaneous flow injection analysis of cadmium and lead with differential pulse voltammetric detection

A flow injection (FI) method using multiple differential pulse voltammetric detection for the simultaneous determination of two metal ions was developed and applied to the resolution of Cd(II)-Pb(II) mixtures. The metals are detected by applying two sequential pulses to a three-electrode voltammetric system that uses a flow-through cell accommodating a static mercury-drop working electrode. The influence of the electrode area, flow-rate, pulse frequency, pulse width and sampling time was investigated. Under the experimental conditions used, the two metals were found to interfere with each other. The use of a neural network allows the simultaneous determination of both, in mixtures, with good accuracy. The proposed method is applicable to other complex systems involving different working electrodes and more than two electroactive species.     

Chemical species produced in the reaction between ethanedial (glyoxal) and 5-amino-1,10-phenanthroline and their iron(II) complexes: electrochemical studies and analytical applications

The cyclic voltammetric behavior of carbon paste electrodes modified by direct admixing with the products of the reactions between ethanedial (glyoxal) and 5-amino-1,10-phenanthroline at 100°C and that of their iron(II) complexes is reported. The ligand(s) produced in absence of iron(II) are able to complex iron(II) and copper(II) ions reversibly, but other ions such as nickel(II), cobalt(II), cadmium(II) and manganese(II), if complexed, show no electrochemical activity. Admixing with the products of the reaction in the presence of excess of iron(II) ion, because of high insolubility and fast electron exchange, produces surfaces useful for amperometric detection in continuous-flow systems. The voltammetric and amperometric behavior in the presence of HSO^?₃ ions is reported in order to illustrate this application.     

Preparation of polymer-coated electrodes containing metal ions complexing sites by electropolymerization of 2-mercaptobenzimidazole and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole on glassy carbon

The possibility of producing polymer-coated electrodes containing complexing agents capable of collecting metal ions was investigated. The organic ligands 2-mercaptobenzimidazole and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole were used as monomers for electropolymerization on glassy carbon electrodes. The electroanalytical applicability of the modified electrodes was evaluated for Hg²⁺ ions, by applying a chemical preconcentration step with subsequent measurement by differential pulse voltammetry. The influence of some electropolymerization parameters, such as scan rate, monomer concentration and the number of cyclic scans, on the voltammetric response of mercury(II) was studied. A 5 min preconcentration period allowed the detection of 0.08 mg/L (4.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹) mercury.     

Selective electrochemical recognition of ions in solution and at self-assembled monolayers

Quinone-functionalized calix[4]arenes having carboxylic acid groups or thiol groups were prepared and their spontaneous adsorption on silver and gold surfaces, respectively, was studied. Since the cavity-like structure of calixarenes was immobilized on the noble metal electrodes, they exhibited a selective affinity towards specific hard metal ions in aqueous media. Voltammetric and spectroscopic studies showed the well-ordered deposition of organic receptors and entrapment of metal ions. It also was found that the repeated capture and removal of metal ions reversibly with chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) was possible. This is the first example, to our knowledge, of voltammetric detection of hard metal ions in aqueous media using a chemically modified electrode with redox-active macrocyclic receptors.     

Electrochemical stripping determination of traces of copper, lead, cadmium and zinc in zirconium metal and zirconium dioxide

Procedures have been developed for the determination of copper, lead, cadmium and zinc in zirconium metal and zirconium dioxide, at concentrations of 1 ppm or less. Zirconium metal was dissolved in suphuric acid, and zirconium dioxide decomposed under pressure with hydrofluoric acid. Sample solutions were prepared in dilute sulphuric acid. For the stripping determination, the sample solution was either mixed with a complexing tartrate base electrolyte or the pre-electrolysis was carried out in acid solution, with the acid solution being exchanged for a pure base electrolyte (e.g. an acetate buffer) for the stripping step. The stripping step was monitored by d.c., differential pulse and Kalousek commutator voltammetry and the three methods were compared. A stationary mercury-drop electrode can generally be used for all the methods, whereas a mercury-film electrode is suitable only for the d.c. voltammetric determination of copper, lead and cadmium, as pulse measurements with films are poorly reproducible and the electrodes are easily damaged. The relative standard deviation does not exceed 20%. Some samples contained relatively large amounts of copper, which is best separated by electrodeposition on a platinum electrode.     

Used gold nano-particles as an on/off switch for response of a potentiometric sensor to Al(III) or Cu(II) metal ions

The potentiometric response of a carbon paste electrode modified with silica sol-gel and mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA) in the presence and absence of gold nano-particles was studied. The results showed that the electrode with gold nano-particles was responded to Al(3+) ions as a hard metal ion. On the other hand, the electrode without gold nano-particles was responded to copper ions as a soft metal ion. The electrodes without and with gold nano-particles exhibits a Nernstian slope of 29.1 and 19.2 mV decade(-1) for copper and aluminum ions over a wide concentration range of 4.3×10(-7)-1.0×10(-2) and 4.5×10(-7)-1.6×10(-3) mol L(-1), respectively. The detection limits of electrodes were 4.0×10(-7) and 1.6×10(-7) mol L(-1) for copper and aluminum ions, respectively.     

Simple electrochemical method for deposition and voltammetric inspection of silver particles at the liquid-liquid interface of a thin-film electrode

A novel experimental methodology for depositing and voltammetric study of Ag nanoparticles at the water-nitrobenzene (W-NB) interface is proposed by means of thin-film electrodes. The electrode assembly consists of a graphite electrode modified with a thin NB film containing decamethylferrocene (DMFC) as a redox probe. In contact with an aqueous electrolyte containing Ag(+) ions, a heterogeneous electron-transfer reaction between DMFC((NB)) and Ag(+)((W)) takes place to form DMFC(+)((NB)) and Ag deposit at the W-NB interface. Based on this interfacial reaction, two different deposition strategies have been applied. In the uncontrolled potential deposition protocol, the electrode is immersed into an AgNO(3) aqueous solution for a certain period under open circuit conditions. Following the deposition step, the Ag-modified thin-film electrode is transferred into an aqueous electrolyte free of Ag(+) ions and voltammetrically inspected. In the second protocol the deposition was carried out under controlled potential conditions, i.e., in an aqueous electrolyte solution containing Ag(+) ions by permanent cycling of the electrode potential. In this procedure, DMFC((NB)) is electrochemically regenerated at the electrode surface, hence enabling continuation and voltammetric control of the Ag deposition. Hence, the overall electrochemical process can be regarded as an electrochemical reduction of Ag(+)((W)) at the W-NB interface, where the redox couple DMFC(+)/DMFC acts as a mediator for shuttling electrons from the electrode to the W-NB interface. Ag-particles deposited at the W-NB interface affect the ion transfer across the interface, which provides the basis for voltammetric inspection of the metal deposit at the liquid-liquid interface with thin-film electrodes. Voltammetric properties of thin-film electrodes are particularly sensitive to the deposition procedure, reflecting differences in the properties of the Ag deposit. Moreover, this methodology is particularly suited to inspect catalytic activities of metal particles deposited at the liquid-liquid interface toward heterogeneous electron-transfer reactions occurring at the at the liquid-liquid interface.     

Determination of copper, lead and cadmium in whole blood by stripping voltammetry with the use of graphite electrodes

The problem with toxic metal ion determination in blood is the adsorption of organic compounds on the electrode surface and the formation of complexes between metal ions and organic constituents of blood. This is the reason why usually preliminary acid digestion or other sample pretreatment is used. Two kinds of electrodes have been used: “Ultra-Trace Electrode”, made from impregnated graphite (I), and thick film graphite disposable electrodes (II). The analysis of whole blood with different sample preparation methods shows, that chemical digestion is not necessary for the analysis. Electrochemical two-stage sample preparation provides the possibility for analysing whole blood with the mentioned electrodes. Thick film disposable electrodes are less sensitive to the interference of organic constituents of blood. These electrodes give the possibility to determine total cadmium, lead and copper concentration in whole blood without special sample pretreatment. The application of “Ultra-Trace Electrode” for blood analysis is possible only after preliminary pretreatment of blood by chemical digestion or electrochemical sample preparation.     

Study of peptide on-line complexation with transition-metal ions generated from sacrificial electrodes in thin-chip polymer microsprays

A miniaturized polymer electrospray-type interface is used to study metal-ion chelation with model peptides. Taking advantage of the intrinsic electrochemical behavior of electrospray, a sacrificial electrode is used to generate at the same time electrospray and transition-metal ions coming from the anodic dissolution of the electrode. The microspray interface provides enhanced mass transport due to its small dimensions, increasing the yield of possible reactions, in particular complex formation. Transition-metal electrodes, e.g. copper, zinc, nickel, iron and silver, are used to obtain on-line complexation with model peptides. It is demonstrated that the use of in-reservoir sacrificial electrodes is an efficient way to generate metal ions in order to form and study complexes with peptides, avoiding the addition of metallic salts.