Nickel determination in osteoblast-like cell culture medium by adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry with a mercury microelectrode

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of nickel, which is an alloying element in commonly used metallic biomaterials, on the biomaterials mineralization process. An electrochemical method was developed to quantify this metal ion in osteoblast-like cell culture medium (OST) by performing adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry (CSV) with dimethylglyoxime (DMG) at a mercury film microelectrode (MFM). The optimized analytical conditions and the square-wave CSV parameters for the analysis are: DMG concentration: 5.00 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹; ammonium chloride buffer: 0.10 mol L⁻¹ (pH 9.2); frequency: 50 Hz, amplitude 20 mV; step: 2 mV; adsorption time: 10 s, deposition potential: −0.70 V and reduction potential: −1.20 V. The limit of detection was 7.70 × 10⁻⁹ mol L⁻¹ for an adsorption time of 10 s. The results achieved by CSV using the MFM were compared to those obtained by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) to ensure the reliability of the electrochemical method. The mineralization process was evaluated by biochemical and histochemical assays.