Determination of Gold, Silver, and Copper in Gold-Base Alloys by Potentiostatic Coulometry

The working conditions for the simultaneous coulometric determination of 0.5 to 3 mg of gold, silver, and copper with a relative standard deviation of at most 0.5% were found in the study of the voltammetric behavior of Au(III), Ag(I), and Cu(II) at a platinum electrode in a 2 M HCl + 0.1 M KCNS solution. Fivefold mass amounts of gold with respect to silver and copper did not interfere with their determination. The three elements can be triply determined in a single portion of a solution using the alternate cathodic and anodic polarization of the electrode ensuring the complete deposition and stripping of Au(0) and Ag(0) and the complete reduction and oxidation of Cu(II) Cu(I). The mechanism of current formation due to the chemical reaction of Au(I) disproportionation and its effect on the results of gold determination were studied using the current–time curves. Experimental conditions were proposed to eliminate this reaction. The procedure was used for determining the composition of ternary jewelry alloys containing different amounts of gold, silver, and copper without their preliminary separation.     

The coulometric titration of acids and bases in dimethylsulfoxide media

The coulometric titration of 20–200 μeq of acids and bases in DMSO media is described. In the titration of bases, the electro-oxidation of hydrogen at a platinized platinum electrode is used as the source of protons. The conditions for 100 % current efficiency at this electrode are low current density to avoid passivity and regular treatment of the electrode with potassium dichromate—sulfuric acid to remove a poisoning sulfide layer. The accuracy of the titrations is better than ±1 %. Very weak acids like phenols (pK_a (DMSO) ≈16) can be titrated successfully. Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane is the weakest base titrated.     

Glassy Carbon Electrode Modified with Citrate Stabilized Gold Nanoparticles for Sensitive Arsenic (III) Detection

The electrochemical detection of As(III) was investigated on the novel citrate stabilized gold nanoparticle modified glassy carbon electrode (AuNPs/GCE) in 1 M HCl by square wave anodic stripping voltammetry. AuNPs/GCE was prepared by simply casting citrate stabilized gold nanoparticles onto the well-polished glassy carbon electrode. Gold modification was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, while transmission electron microscopy and UV-vis Spectroscopy revealed the size and distribution of gold nanoparticles. Anodic stripping voltammetry was performed with the modified electrode in As(III) solution. Electrochemical experiments proved that AuNPS/GCE exhibited good performance for As(III) analysis, the linear range were obtained between 0.05 and 1 ppb for trace level of As(III) as well as 1 to 15 ppb, with a limit of detection of 0.025 ppb. In terms of reproducibility, the precision of the aforementioned method in %RSD was calculated at 7.78% (n = 10), and the repeatability of the proposed method was calculated to be 1.59%. The application of the method to analyze As(III) in tap water was investigated.     

The Electrochemical Detection of Arsenic(III) at a Silver Electrode

A study of three electrode substrates namely gold, platinum and silver, for arsenic detection via anodic stripping voltammetry is reported. Hitherto it has been accepted that gold is the most suitable metallic surface for use in this context, as suggested by Forsberg and co‐workers (Forsberg, G.; O'Laughlin, J. W.; Megargle, R. G. Anal. Chem. 1975, 47, 1586.). We revisit these experiments and find that by switching from hydrochloric acid to nitric acid the oxidation of silver that had previously masked the arsenic stripping signal at this surface is shifted considerably enough to allow a clear, analytically reliable As(III) stripping signal to be detected. In contrast to silver and gold platinum is found to have poor performance as an electrode substrate for arsenic detection. Using ASV a LOD of 6.3×10^?7 M is found for As(III) detection at a silver electrode, similar to that which we have previously reported at a gold electrode (A. O. Simm, C. E. Banks and R. G. Compton. Electroanalysis, 2005, 17, 335.) The use of ultrasound was then investigated to further reduce the LOD, which was found to be 1.4×10^?8 M. Apart from reduced cost of silver it also has an added advantage over gold in that it has a higher hydrogen reduction overvoltage enabling a 100 mV more negative deposition potential to be used before the onset of hydrogen evolution when compared to a gold electrode.     

Sorption-spectrometric determination of palladium and gold using silica chemically modified with dipropyl disulfide groups

It has been found that silica chemically modified with dipropyl disulfide groups (DPDSS) quantitatively extracts palladium(II) from solutions in the acidity range from 4 M HCl to pH 4 and gold(III) in the range from 1 M HCl to pH 2 with a partition coefficient at the level of n × 10⁴ cm³/g. The adsorption of palladium(II) and gold(III) at room temperature is highly selective, whereas non-ferrous and other platinum metals are not adsorbed. Sorption-atomic absorption, sorption-ICP-atomic emission, and sorption-photometric methods for the determination of palladium and gold have been developed using DPDSS. The accuracy of the methods was tested by the analysis of certified reference samples.     

Simultaneous Potentiostatic Coulometric Determination of Platinum and Palladium

Based on a voltammetric study of the electrochemical behavior of Pt(IV) and Pd(II) in a 1 M HCl + 0.1 M ethylenediamine hydrochloride solution at a carbon–graphite electrode, we have found the optimum conditions for the simultaneous determination of 0.2 to 3 mg of platinum and palladium with a relative standard deviation of less than 0.5%.The oxidation reactions were Pd(0) Pd(II) and Pt(II) Pt(IV). Mass excesses of analytes of 3.5- to 4.5-fold with respect to each other did not interfere with the determination of individual elements. With alternate cathodic and anodic polarization of the electrode, these elements can be multiply determined in a single portion of solution. The procedure was used for the simultaneous determination of platinum and palladium in process solutions of KP-1 platinum concentrate after the separation of gold and silver and also in platinum- and palladium-based alloys.     

Catalytic Effect on Silver Electrodeposition of Gold Deposited on Carbon Electrodes

A new methodology, based on silver electrocatalytic deposition and designed to quantify gold deposited onto carbon paste electrode (CPE) and glassy carbon electrode (GCE), has been developed in this work. Silver (prepared in 1.0 M NH₃) electrodeposition at ?0.13 V occurs only when gold is previously deposited at an adequate potential on the electrode surface for a fixed period of time. When a CPE is used as working electrode, an adequate oxidation of gold is necessary. This oxidation is carried out in both 0.1 M NaOH and 0.1 M H₂SO₄ at oxidation potentials. When a GCE is used as working electrode, the oxidation steps are not necessary. Moreover, a cleaning step in KCN, which removes gold from electrode surface, is included. To obtain reproducibility in the analytical signal, the surface of the electrodes must be suitably pretreated; this electrodic pretreatment depends on the kind of electrode used as working electrode. Low detection limits (5.0×10^?10 M) for short gold deposition times (10 min for CPE and 5 min for GCE) were achieved with this novel methodology. Finally, sodium aurothiomalate can be quantified using silver electrocatalytic deposition and GCE as working electrode. Good linear relationship between silver anodic stripping peak and aurothiomalate concentration was found from 5.0×10^?10 M to 1.0×10^?8 M.     

Coulometric titration of gold with electrogenerated chloro-cuprous ion

A method for the coulometric titration of +3 gold to the metallic state with clectrolytically generated chloro cuprous ion is described Quantities of gold from as little as I mg to 100 mg or more were titrated in a volume of 100 ml with an average error of ± 0.3%.The titration is applicable to the determination of gold in the presence of large amounts of copper, silver, mercury, lead, and most of the elements with which gold commonly is associated. Small amounts of +4 platinium (less than half the amount of gold) are innocuous, but larger quantities of platinum produce a large positive error     

Gold microelectrode ensembles: cheap,reusable and stable electrodes for the determination of arsenic (V) under aerobic conditions

The determination of total arsenic through As(V) anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) is, in some cases, preferable over As(III) ASV. The As(V) ASV procedure has no chemical reduction step from As(V) into As(III), which results in decreased analysis time and no contamination from reducting reagents. A simple and reliable procedure of As(V) determination is proposed. Anodic stripping determination of trace As(V) at gold microelectrode ensembles in diluted HCl solution in the presence of dissolved oxygen is shown. The electrode is based on a carbon black (30%)–polyethylene composite. The sensor was prepared by gold electrodeposition on the surface of the composite electrode. The given sensor is cheap, reliable and stable, especially when electrochemical activation is employed. The experimental parameters for the electrochemical determination were optimized, namely 0.005?M HCl as the background electrolyte, the deposition potential ?2.2?V (versus Ag/AgCl in 1?M KCl) and 180?mV?s^?1 linear scan rate. Calibration curves were obtained and were linear in [As(V)] over the 1.5–45?µg?L^?1 range, with a LOD of 0.5?µg?L^?1. The effect of common interfering species is studied. The electrochemical behaviour of As(III) form is studied in the same experimental conditions. It was found that As(III) is deposited at lower potentials (starting at ?0.6?V) and the sensitivity of As(III) detection is higher, but dependant on the presence of dissolved oxygen. The speciation of inorganic forms of arsenic is discussed.     

Coulometric titration of thallous ion with electrogenerated ferricyanide ion

Thallous ion can be coulometrically titrated to thallic oxide in strongly alkaline medium by means of ferricyanide ion generated by anodic oxidation of ferrocyanide ion at a platinum anode. The equivalence point may be detected either potentiometrically or amperometrically. With 8 to 20 mg of thallous ion in 125 ml the accuracy and precision are within ± 0.2%.     

The effect of platinum(IV) on the coulometric generation of tin(II)

The current efficiency of tin(II) generation has been measured for various electrolytes and electrodes. The best results (>99.9%) were obtained with the paraffin-impregnated graphite electrode in 2M CaCl(2) + 0.2M HCl + 0.2M SnCl(4). In titrations of platinum(IV) with electrogenerated tin(II) in an electrolyte containing chloride or bromide it was found that the presence of platinum(II) or (IV) interferes in the cathodic generation of tin(II). The platinum is reduced to the elemental state at the electrode and causes simultaneous generation of hydrogen which decreases the current efficiency. This effect is more pronounced in chloride media.     

Coulometric titration of salts of strong mineral acids in acetic anhydride by application of a hydrogen/palladium electrode

The application of H₂/Pd electrodes as generator and indicator electrodes is described for coulometric titrations of alkali metal halides and trivalent metal sulphates in acetic anhydride with potentiometric end-point detection. In acetic anhydride, sodium fluoride is a strong enough base to be titrated directly with H⁺ ions obtained by anodic oxidation of hydrogen dissolved in palladium. Other halides (NaCl, KCl, LiCl, KBr and NaBr) can be determined, after reaction of halides with mercury (II) acetate, by coulometric titration of the liberated base. Potentiometric end-point detection with a H₂/Pd-mercury(I) acetate electrode pair is satisfactory. Sulphates of Fe(III), Cr(III) and Al(III) are determined by back-titrating the excess of barium acetate after precipitation of barium sulphate. The errors in these determinations are < 1% for concentrations ranging from 0.001 to 0.003 M.     

Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Ethanol on Flexible Three‐dimensional Interconnected Nickel/Gold Composite Foams in Alkaline Media

In this work, a porous and flexible three‐dimensional (3D) nickel/gold nanoparticle electrode (NiF/AuNPs) is presented as an efficient electrocatalyst for ethanol oxidation in alkaline media. The 3D nanocomposite electrode consists of interconnected porous nickel foam (NiF) with large pores (500±200 μm diameter) surrounded by interconnected struts (～100 μm) that are decorated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, 37±8 nm) through in‐situ electrochemical deposition. The catalytic performance of the 3D electrode was evaluated by different electrochemical methods. An enhancement in the performance (about 253 %) and a remarkable decline in onset potential (about ～0.63 V) in comparison with pristine NiF for ethanol oxidation are demonstrated. This potential is lower than many reported results except palladium‐ and platinum‐based catalysts, which are expensive. It is shown that both hydroxyl anions and cations affect the ethanol oxidation on the 3D electrode. The interconnected porous structure provides efficient mass diffusivity, which along with its high specific surface area combined with the catalytic nature of AuNPs, may open new opportunities for in‐inexpensive and highly efficient electro‐oxidation of ethanol for energy applications.     

Determination of mercury in air by means of computerized flow constant-current stripping analysis with a gold fibre electrode

Mercury in air was determined after collection in potassium permanganate or sodium carbonate solution. The mercury concentration in these solutions was determined in a computerized flow potentiometric stripping analyzer with a 10-μm gold fibre working electrode, a glassy carbon reference electrode and a platinum counter electrode. After sample electrolysis for 1–10 min, stripping was done in a 1 mg l^?1 gold(III) solution in 0.01 M nitric acid/0.01 M sodium nitrate with a constant stripping current of 0.50 μA. Results obtained for flue gas samples were in good agreement with results from cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry.     

Electrodeposition and stripping voltammetry of arsenic(III) and arsenic(V) on a carbon black–polyethylene composite electrode in the presence of iron ions

In this work, a new sensor is proposed for the stripping voltammetric determination (anodic stripping voltammetry—ASV) of total arsenic(V) or arsenic(III). The sensor is based on an Fe-modified carbon composite electrode containing 30 % carbon black–high-pressure polyethylene (CB/PE). The modification with iron is achieved by the addition of Fe(III) or Fe(II) ions to the sample solution and co-electrodeposition of iron and arsenic on the CB/PE electrode. In anodic stripping voltammetry, two peaks are observed: an Fe peak at ?0.45 or ?0.29 V and a peak at 0.12?±?0.07 V which depends on the arsenic concentration and corresponds to the As(0) → As(III) oxidation, as is the case with other solid electrodes. The optimum conditions proposed for ASV determination of As(V) and As(III) in solutions in the presence of dissolved oxygen are the following: the background electrolyte is 0.005 M HCl containing 0.5–1 mg/?L Fe(III) for As(V) and containing 1.0–1.5 mg/?L Fe(III) for As(III), respectively; E _dep?=??2.3 V; rest period at ?0.10 V for 3–5 s before the potential sweep from ?0.2 to +0.4 V; scan rate is 120 mV/?s. The detection limit (LOD, t?=?120 s) for As(III) and As(V) is 0.16 and 0.8 μg/?L, respectively. Various hypotheses on the effect of Fe ions and atoms on the electrodeposition and dissolution of arsenic are considered. The new method of determination of As(III) and As(V) differs from known analogues by its simplicity, low cost, and easy accessibility of the electrode material. It allows the voltammetric determination of total arsenic after chemical reduction of all its forms to As(III) or after their oxidation to As(V).     

Determination of tocopherols by reverse-phase liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection at a surface-oxide modified platinum microelectrode, without added electrolyte

The reverse-phase separation and electrochemical detection of alpha-, gg-, and delta-tocopherol at a potential of +0.90 V vs. a gold pseudo-reference electrode is possible down to 10(-7)M concentrations, with surface-modified platinum microdisc electrodes in a methanol/water (95:5) solvent mixture. The use of microclectrodes with radii of 10-70 mum, rather than electrodes of conventional size, minimizes problems associated with iR drop and obviates the need for deliberately added electrolyte. These features simplify the analytical procedure. The background response of an untreated platinum microelectrode in the methanol/water (95:5) system at positive potentials is characterized by processes arising from adsorption/oxidation of methanol and formation of surface oxides. Amperometric detection is of little use under these conditions. However, preoxidation of the electrode surface in 2M nitric acid inhibits the methanol adsorption/oxidation reaction but not the tocopherol response and therefore allows highly sensitive amperometric detection.     

New insights into the Belousov-Zhabotinskii reaction derived from EQCM measurements at a gold electrode

Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance experiments were used to study the classical Belousov-Zhabotinskii (BZ) homogeneous oscillating system. This system involves 2 × 10(-3) M Ce(III), 0.28 M malonic acid and 0.063 M bromate as the main initial components in 1 M sulfuric acid solution. The gold-evaporated electrodes on a 10 MHz AT-cut quartz crystal were used for potentiometric and amperometric studies while the changes in crystal frequency provided mass data. Under open-circuit conditions, during the BZ reaction, oscillations of the gold electrode potential in the range ca. 0.8 to 1.07 V (SCE) with a period about 80 s occurred. They were accompanied by periodic 10-15 ng [i.e. ca. 45-70 ng cm(-2)] changes in the electrode mass. At more positive potentials a decrease in electrode mass occurred, while the mass increased at more negative potentials. At a constant applied electrode potential, corresponding to either the upper or the lower potential limit attained under open-circuit conditions, periodic pulses of cathodic current occurred and were accompanied by mass changes. A continuous decrease in the electrode mass occurred at 1.06 V. A detailed examination of the gold electrode behavior in the solutions containing individual components of the system using cyclic voltammetry and quartz crystal microgravimetry provided the information needed to interpret the mass changes that occur in the complete system. No significant changes in the electrode mass occurred in sulfuric acid solution in the potential range where current and mass oscillations take place in the full BZ reaction solution. The same result was found in sulfuric acid solutions containing either Ce(III) or malonic acid. Dissolution of gold occurred in a sulfuric acid solution containing bromate or bromide ions. Adsorption of bromide ions on gold electrode occurred in Br(-)-containing sulfuric acid solution at more negative potentials. In the BZ system, dissolution of gold in the presence of oxidizing (bromate) and complexing (bromide) species causes the decrease in the electrode mass that accompanies the positive potential jump under open-circuit conditions, or the current pulse that occurs at more negative applied constant potentials. Cathodic current pulses occurring at a constant electrode potential (either 0.8 or 1.06 V) are associated with the reduction of Ce(IV) formed as a result of periodic homogeneous oxidation of Ce(III) by bromate. Bromide ions formed in the course of the BZ reaction appear to play a significant role in electrode mass changes, causing a mass decrease at more positive potentials due to dissolution of gold, and a subsequent mass increase at more negative potentials due to adsorption processes.     

Studies of gold,platinum and palladium indicating electrodes in strongly oxidizing aqueous solutions

A comparison of the behavior of gold, platinum and palladium indicating electrodes in various strongly oxidizing solutions with the behavior observed when these electrodes are oxidized anodically reveals that the same reaction are occurring at the electrodes These reactions are attributed to oxide (or hydroxide) film formation because the potentials at which these various reactions occur agree reasonably well with the potential of known oxide-metal transitions The present study emphasizes the transient potential-time response of an indicating electrode when immersed in a strongly oxidizing solution It is concluded that all “inert” indicating electrodes undergo stepwise chemical oxidation in strongly oxidizing media.     

Constant-current coulometric determination of uranium in the pure metal

A new method is proposed for the highly precise and accurate constant-current coulometry of uranium in high-purity uranium. Precisely weighed amounts of uranium and pure iron are dissolved in 7 M sulfuric acid containing some hydrogen peroxide (40% $\text{v}\text{v}$). The solution is quantitatively transferred to the coulometric cell by rinsing with 1 M H₂SO₄, saturated with cerium(III) sulfate. The first step is the quantitative electro-chemical reduction to U(IV), Fe(II) and Ce(III) on a gold gauze electrode at constant current (100 mA) until evolution of hydrogen is observed. The hydrogen is then removed by flushing the solution with very pure nitrogen until the potential of a platinum gauze electrode reaches a constant value. Oxidation on the gold gauze electrode is carried out under precisely controlled constant current; after the quantitative oxidation of U(IV) to U(VI) and Fe(II) to Fe(III), and crossing the end-point, this end-point is determined very precisely potentiometrically through back-titration by successive current injections of 10 mA during 1 s. The method was tested on a NBS reference material, uranium (NBS 960).     

Quantitative separation of gold from cadmium, indium, zinc and other elements by cation-exchange chromatography in hydrochloric acid-acetone medium

Gold(III) can be separated from Cd, In. Zn, Ni, Cu(II), Mn(II), Co(II), Mg, Ca, Al, Fe(III), Ga and U(VI) by adsorbing these elements on a column of AG50W-X8 sulphonated polystyrene cation-exchange resin from 0.1M HCl containing 60% v v acetone, while Au(III) passes through and can be eluted with the same reagent. Separations are sharp and quantitative. The amounts of gold retained by the resin are between 1 and 2 orders of magnitude lower than encountered during adsorption from aqueous 0.1M HCl. Recoveries for mg amounts of gold are 99.9% or better and for ng amounts are still better than 99%, as shown by radioactive tracer methods. Hg(II), Bi, Sn(IV), the platinum metals and some elements which tend to form oxy-anions in dilute acid accompany gold. All other elements, though not investigated in detail, should be retained, according to their known distribution coefficients. Relevant elution curves, results of quantitative separations of binary mixtures and of recovery tests are presented.