Electrocatalytic oxidation of thiosulfate on a modified nickel hexacyanoferrate film electrode

Summary A modified nickel hexacyanoferrate film glassy carbon electrode is prepared by the electrochemical deposition technique. The film is very stable upon voltammetric scanning in the potential range of 1.0 to –0.5 V (vs. SCE) and an oxidation peak occurs at 0.35 V (vs. SCE) (1 mol/l NaNO₃). The effects of electrolyte, solvent, coexisting ions and other variables on the voltammetric behaviour of the modified film have been studied. The thickness of the resulting film can be controlled by changing the number of voltammetric cycles and the concentrations of nickel(II) and hexacyanoferrate(III) ions. The film shows catalytic activity towards electrooxidation of thiosulfate with a peak potential +0.5 V (K^–-containing media). This oxidation potential of thiosulfate on the modified electrode is shifted negatively by about 550 mV as compared to the naked glassy carbon electrode. For practical application, the modified electrode can be used for the determination of thiosulfate in concentrations from 5.0×10^–5 to 1.0×10^–1 mol/l. This method has been successfully applied to the determination of thiosulfate in photographic waste effluents.