2-(5-Nitro-2-Pyridylazo)-5-(N-Propyl-N-Sulfopropylamino)Phenol as a new analytical reagent for flow-injection spectrophotometric determination of trace vanadium(V)

A flow injection method using 2-(5-nitro-2-pyridylazo)-5-(N-propyl-N-sulfopropylamino)phenol-(Nitro-PAPS) as a new chromogenic reagent is presented for sensitive and rapid determination of vanadium. Nitro-PAPS reacts with vanadium(V) in weakly acidic medium to form a water soluble complex of molar absorptivity of 8.0 × 10⁴L mol^–1 cm^–1 at 592 nm (maximum absorption wavelength), which permits the straightforward application of a flow injection system to the sensitive determination of vanadium. Under the optimum conditions established, a linear calibration graph was obtained in the range 1–120 ng mL^–1. The relative standard deviation for 60 ng mL^–1 vanadium was 2.2% (n = 5) and the limit of detection was 1 ng mL^–1. The sample throughput is about 40 h^–1. Most inorganic and organic anions examined did not interfere even at concentrations of 3000–6000 times of vanadium. Interference from cobalt(II), copper(II) and nickel(II) at 200ng mL^–1 levels can be overcome by the addition of N-(dithio-carboxy)sarcosine. The recoveries for each 20 and 10 ng mL^–1 vanadium added to the river water were 98 and 97%, respectively.The authors express their thanks to Miss Miho Suzuki and Miss Hiroyo Yamada for their experimental assistance in part.     

Voltammetric behaviour of the zirconium-phenylfluorone-hexadecyl pyridinium chloride system and the sensitizing effect of surfactants

The adsorptive voltammetric features of the zirconium-phenylfluorone (PF)-hexadecyl pyridinium chloride (CPC) system has been investigated. A sensitizing effect of the surfactant CPC on the adsorption current of the Zr-PF-CPC system were observed by linear potential sweep voltammetry. A new sensitive method determining Zr traces was established, the detection limit and linear relationship is 5.0×10^–9 mol/l and 7.7×10^–9–1.1×10^–7 mol/l, respectively. This method has been applied to mineral samples.     

Synthesis and characterization of the water-soluble silica-coated ZnS:Mn nanoparticles as fluorescent sensor for Cu ions

Silica-coated ZnS:Mn nanoparticles were synthesized by coating hydrophobic ZnS:Mn nanoparticles with silica shell through microemulsion. The core–shell structural nanoparticles were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) images and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) measurements. Results show that each core–shell nanoparticle contains single ZnS:Mn nanoparticle within monodisperse silica nanospheres (40 nm). Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and UV–vis spectrum were used to investigate the optical properties of the nanoparticles. Compared to uncoated ZnS:Mn nanoparticles, the silica-coated ZnS:Mn nanoparticles have the improved PL intensity as well as good photostability. The obtained silica-coated ZnS:Mn nanoparticles are water-soluble and have fluorescence sensitivity to Cu²⁺ ions. Quenching of fluorescence intensity of the silica-coated nanoparticles allows the detection of Cu²⁺ concentrations as low as 7.3 × 10⁻⁹ mol L⁻¹, thus affording a very sensitive detection system for this chemical species. The possible quenching mechanism is discussed.     

A novel electrochemical method to detect mercury (II) ions

A novel and sensitive electrochemical method for determination of mercury (II) ions (Hg²⁺) based on the formation of thymine–Hg²⁺–thymine complexes and gold nanoparticle-mediated signal amplification is reported. Two 5′ end thiolated complementary oligonucleotides containing six strategically placed thymine–thymine mistakes were introduced in this work. One of the two oligonucleotides was immobilized on a gold electrode and the other one on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Due to six thymine–thymine mistakes the two oligonucleotides were not able to be hybridized, so AuNPs could not be immobilized onto the electrode surface after the electrode was immersed in the DNA–AuNPs solution. However, if Hg²⁺ existed, T–Hg²⁺–T complexes could be formed and AuNPs could be immobilized onto the electrode surface. Meanwhile, large numbers of [Ru(NH₃)₆]³⁺ molecules as electrochemical species could be localized onto the electrode surface. The Hg²⁺ detection limit of this assay could be as low as 10 nM, which is the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limit of Hg²⁺ for drinkable water. This method is proven to be simple, convenient, high sensitive and selective.     

Amperometric nitrite sensor based on hemoglobin/colloidal gold nanoparticles immobilized on a glassy carbon electrode by a titania sol-gel film

A novel amperometric nitrite sensor was developed based on the immobilization of hemoglobin/colloidal gold nanoparticles on a glassy carbon electrode by a titania sol-gel film. The sensor shows a pair of well-defined and nearly reversible cyclic voltammogram peaks for Hb Fe(III)/Fe(II) with a formal potential (E°) of –0.370 V, and the peak-to-peak separation at 100 mV s^–1 was 66 mV vs. Ag/AgCl (3.0 M KCl) in a pH 6.9 phosphate buffer solution. The formal potential of the Hb Fe(III)/Fe(II) couple shifted linearly with pH with a slope of –50.0 mV/pH, indicating that electron transfer accompanies single-proton transportation. The sensor exhibited an excellent electrocatalytic response to the reduction of nitrite. The reduction overpotential was 0.45 V below that obtained at a colloidal gold nanoparticles/TiO₂ sol-gel film-modified GCE. The linear range for nitrite determination for the sensor was 4.0×10^–6 to 3.5×10^–4 M, with a detection limit of 1.2×10^–6 M. The stability, repeatability and selectivity of the sensor were also evaluated.     

Studies on the voltammetric behaviour of salicyl fluorone and gallium-salicyl fluorone complex

In the NH₄Cl supporting electrolyte, within the pH range from 1 to 5, an irreversible adsorptive reducing wave of salicyl fluorone(SAF) was obtained. The electrode process was verified as follow: On the surface of mercury electrode, the adsorption of SAF obeys Frumkin isotherm.In 0.2 mol/l potassium hydrogen phthalate/HCl buffer solution, at pH 3.0, the sensitive adsorptive complex wave of Ga-SAF was obtained by linear sweep voltammetry. The composition of the electroactive complex was determined as Ga:SAF = 11. The peak height of the complex is proportional to the concentration of Ga(III) in the range of 1.5 × 10^–9 to 6.0 × 10^–7 mol/l, the detection limit is 1.0× 10^–9 mol/l. The proposed method has been applied to the determination of gallium content in aluminium alloys.     

The electrochemistry and determination of Ligustrazine hydrochloride

Ligustrazine is one of the active ingredients contained in Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. (Umbelliferae), which is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of cardiovascular problems. In this work, the electrochemistry of Ligustrazine hydrochloride (LZC) and its determination are investigated. The detection limit is estimated to be 8.0×10^–8 M, with three linear ranges from 1.0×10^–6 to 1.0×10^–4 M, 1.0×10^–4 to 5.0×10^–4 M, and 6.5×10^–4 to 1.6×10^–3 M. The method has been proved to be highly sensitive, selective, and stable, and has been successfully applied to determining LZC in LZC injections.     

Adsorptive accumulation voltammetry of copper(II) using complex formation reaction with salicylideneamino-2-thiophenol

Summary The cathodic stripping voltammetry of copper(II) was investigated with a method, based on the adsorptive accumulation of the Cu(II)-salicylideneamino-2-thiophenol (SATP) complex on a hanging mercury drop electrode. The copper(II)-SATP complex could be accumulated on the electrode at –0.20 V in 0.01 mol/l nitric acid. The reduction peak of the copper complex was observed by scanning the potential in a negative direction in the differential pulse mode. The calibration curve for copper was linear over the range 5×10^–9–1×10^–7 mol/l. This method was applied to determine copper(II) in GSJ (Geological Survey of Japan) standard rock reference materials.     

Adsorptive stripping voltammetric measurements of trace amounts of platinum(II) and ruthenium(III) in the presence of 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol

An extremely sensitive stripping voltammetric procedure for low level measurements of platinum (II, IV) or ruthenium (III, IV) is reported. The method is based on the interfacial accumulation of the platinum (II) or ruthenium (III)-1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol complex on the surface of a hanging mercury drop electrode, followed by the reduction of the adsorbed complex during the cathodic scan. The peak potential was found to be –0.8 V vs. Ag/AgCl electrode and the reduction current of the adsorbed complex ions of platinum (II) or ruthenium (III) was measured by differential pulse cathodic stripping voltammetry. The optimum experimental conditions were: 1.5×10^–7 mol/l of 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol solution of pH 9.3, preconcentration potential of –0.2 V, accumulation time of 3 min and pulse amplitude of 50 mV with 4 mV s^–1 scan rate in the presence of ethanol-water (30% v/v) — sodium sulphate (0.5 mol/l). Linear response up to 6.4 × 10^–8 and 5.1 × 10^–8 mol/l and a relative standard deviation (at 1.2×10^–8 mol/l) of 2.4 and 1.6% (n=5) for platinum (II) and ruthenium (III) respectively were obtained. The detection limits of platinum and ruthenium were 3.2×10^–10 and 4.1×10^–10 mol/l, respectively. The electronic spectra of the Pt(II) — PAN and Ru(III) — PAN complexes were measured at pH 9.3 and the stoichiometric ratios of the complexes formed were obtained by the molar ratio method. The effects of some interfering ions on the proposed procedure were critically investigated. The method was found suitable for the sub-microdetermination of ruthenium (IV) and platinum (IV) after their reduction to ruthenium (III) and platinum (II) with sulphur dioxide in acid media. The applicability of the method for the analysis of binary mixtures of ruthenium (III) and (IV) or platinum (II) and (IV) has also been carried out successfully. The method is simple, rapid, precise, and promising for the determination of the tested metal ions at micro-molar concentration level.     

Primary amine drug sensitive electrodes based on macrocyclic polyethers with 2,2′-dinaphthyl subunits

Dinaphthyl macrocyclic polyethers were synthesized and used as neutral carriers for preparing primary amine drug sensitive PVC membrane electrodes. Contrary to the ion-associate based electrodes, which show an excellent potentiometric response to quaternary ammonium ions and the like, but a very poor response to primary amines, the macrocyclic polyether-based electrodes showed potentiometric response characteristics with primary amines preferred. Dinaphthyl macrocyclic polyether-based electrodes are superior to those based on common macrocyclic polyethers for their potentiometric selectivity coefficients much lower than those of the latter. The main characteristics of a dinaphthyl-20-crown-6-based benzyl amine sensitive electrode are as follows: linear response range, 4.2 × 10^–5 – 1.0 ×10^–1 M; slope, 51.3 mV/decade; and detection limit, 4.6 × 10^–6 M. A mexiletine sensitive electrode was prepared using dinaphthyl-23-crown-7 with following performance features: linear response range, 2.0 × 10^–5 – 1.0 ×10^–1 M; slope, 52.1mV/decade; and detection limit, 5.0 × 10^–6 M.     

Mercury-free sono-electroanalytical detection of lead in human blood by use of bismuth-film-modified boron-doped diamond electrodes

We report the electroanalytical determination of lead by anodic stripping voltammetry at in-situ-formed, bismuth-film-modified, boron-doped diamond electrodes. Detection limits in 0.1 mol L^–1 nitric acid solution of 9.6x10^–8 mol L^–1 (0.2 ppb) and 1.1x10^–8 mol L^–1 (2.3 ppb) were obtained after 60 and 300 s deposition times, respectively. An acoustically assisted deposition procedure was also investigated and found to result in improved limits of detection of 2.6×10^–8 mol L^–1 (5.4 ppb) and 8.5×10^–10 mol L^–1 (0.18 ppb) for 60 and 300 s accumulation times, respectively. Furthermore, the sensitivity obtained under quiescent and insonated conditions increased from 5.5 (quiescent) to 76.7 A mol^–1 L (insonated) for 60 s accumulation and from 25.8 (quiescent) to 317.6 A mol^–1 L (insonated) for 300 s accumulation. Investigation of the use of ultrasound with diluted blood revealed detection limits of the order of 10^–8 mol L^–1 were achievable with excellent inter- and intra-reproducibility and sensitivity of 411.9 A mol^–1 L . For the first time, electroanalytical detection of lead in diluted blood is shown to be possible by use of insonated in-situ-formed bismuth-film-modified boron-doped diamond electrodes. This method is a rapid, sensitive, and non-toxic means of clinical sensing of lead in whole human blood.     

Silica-nanoparticle-based interface for the enhanced immobilization and sequence-specific detection of DNA

A biocompatible and uniform interface based on silica nanoparticles derivatized with amino groups has been constructed for the effective immobilization and sensitive sequence-specific detection of calf thymus DNA. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed that a monolayer of silica nanoparticles can be formed on a gold electrode under our experimental conditions using cysteine self-assembly monolayer as binder medium. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) verified the successful immobilization of DNA on silica-nanoparticle-modified gold electrodes. Quantitative results demonstrated that enhanced immobilization of single-strand DNA (ss-DNA) up to 1.6×10^–8 mol cm^–2 could be achieved owing to the larger surface area and the special properties of silica nanoparticles. In addition, hybridization experiments demonstrated that the immobilized ss-DNA on silica nanoparticles could specifically interact with complementary DNA in solutions.     

Flotation-spectrophotometric method for the determination of mercury using iodide and brilliant green

This paper describes a sensitive spectrophotometric method for the determination of mercury, based on the flotation of a mercury iodide-brilliant green complex with cyclohexane at pH 5 and dissolution of the complex in acetone. The absorbance of the complex is measured at 625 nm. Beer's law is obeyed from 4–500 g/l of mercury. The method is highly sensitive ( = 5.96 × 10⁵ 1 mol^–1 cm^–1) and selective, as it is free from interferences by almost all cations and anions in the presence of EDTA. Furthermore, a two-level orthogonal array design as a chemometric method has been used for optimization of the various parameters involved. The method has been successfully applied to paper industry effluents.     

Determination of thorium by adsorptive type chemically modified electrode with a polycomplex system

A preconcentration and determination method for thorium in aqueous solution with a tri-n-octylphosphine oxide modified glassy carbon electrode is proposed. In the presence of 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone, thorium in NaAc-HAc supporting electrolyte is preconcentrated on a modified rotating disk electrode, and a highly sensitive reduction peak is obtained by cathodic stripping voltammetry at –1.10 V versus Ag/AgCl. A linear response of reduction peak height and concentration is observed for 1.15×10^–9–1.44×10^–8 mol·1^–1 of thorium and the detection limit is 1.0×10^–9mol·1^–1. It is very selective and sensitive, with a standard deviation of 3.4% and a recovery of 90–110%.     

Study on the fluorescence system Be-rutin-SDS-Triton X-100 and the determination of rutin

Summary It was found that rutin forms a fluorescent complex with Be²⁺, the fluorescence intensity of which can be increased thirty-one times in a mixed medium of sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS) and Triton X-100. A linear relationship is obtained between the fluorescence intensity and the rutin concentration in the range of 1.2×10^–6 to 4.8×10^–5 mol·l^–1. The detection limit is 5.9×10^–7 mol·l^–1. Rutin traces were determined in drugs using the standard addition method. The luminescence mechanism of the system is discussed.     

Spectrophotometric and derivative spectrophotometric determination of copper (II) with dithizone in aqueous phase

A Spectrophotometric and derivative Spectrophotometric study of Cu-dithizonate complex in aqueous phase in the presence of Triton X-100, a neutral surfactant, is reported. The system obeys Beer's law between 1.0 × 10^–6–9.0 × 10^–6 mol/l of Cu²⁺; detection limit is 12 ng/ml. The molar absorption coefficient, specific absorptivity and Sandell's sensitivity of the complex are 3.06 × 10⁴ 1 mol^–1 cm^–1, 0.4825 ml g^–1 cm^–1 and 2.1 × 10^–3 g cm^–2, respectively. The conditional stability constant of the 1 2 complex, calculated considering simultaneously existing equilibria, has been found to be 1.73 × 10¹¹ I² mol² (I = 0.07, pH 1.4, temperature = 10 °C). Absorption studies in the derivative mode have been carried out to determine the absorption maximum of the complex and to overcome interference due to the presence of certain metal ions. The method has been validated by determination of copper in beers, wines, human hair, goat liver and fly ash samples.     

Cobalt Hexacyanoferrate-Modified Electrode for Amperometric Assay of Hydrazine

A graphite electrode modified with cobalt hexacyanoferrate by mechanical immobilization was used for amperometric determination of hydrazine. The modified electrode exhibits good catalytic activity for the oxidation of hydrazine at a reduced overpotential with remarkable sensitivity. The modified electrode showed a linear response for hydrazine in the concentration range of 2.0 × 10^–5 to 2.8 × 10^–4 M. The detection limit was 9.8 × 10^–6 M (S/N = 3). The proposed modified electrode was simple, sensitive, rapid, stable and promising.     

Silver nanoparticle assemblies supported on glassy-carbon electrodes for the electro-analytical detection of hydrogen peroxide

Electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide using an edge-plane pyrolytic-graphite electrode (EPPG), a glassy carbon (GC) electrode, and a silver nanoparticle-modified GC electrode is reported. It is shown, in phosphate buffer (0.05 mol L^–1, pH 7.4), that hydrogen peroxide cannot be detected directly on either the EPPG or GC electrodes. However, reduction can be facilitated by modification of the glassy-carbon surface with nanosized silver assemblies. The optimum conditions for modification of the GC electrode with silver nanoparticles were found to be deposition for 1 min at –0.5 V vs. Ag from 5 mmol L^–1 AgNO₃/0.1 mol L^–1 TBAP/MeCN, followed by stripping for 2 min at +0.5 V vs. Ag in the same solution. A wave, due to the reduction of hydrogen peroxide on the silver nanoparticles is observed at –0.68 V vs. SCE. The limit of detection for this modified nanosilver electrode was 2.0×10^–6 mol L^–1 for hydrogen peroxide in phosphate buffer (0.05 mol L^–1, pH 7.4) with a sensitivity which is five times higher than that observed at a silver macro-electrode. Also observed is a shoulder on the voltammetric wave corresponding to the reduction of oxygen, which is produced by silver-catalysed chemical decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen then oxygen reduction at the surface of the glassy-carbon electrode.     

Determination of morphine in process streams by sequential injection analysis with chemiluminescence detection

A procedure for the determination of morphine in process streams by sequential injection analysis based on the chemiluminescence reaction of morphine with acidic potassium permanganate in the presence of sodium hexametaphosphate is presented. The chemiluminescence emission has been monitored using an in-house detection system which consisted of a fibre optic flowthrough cell and a sensitive, low dark current, photomultiplier tube. The calibration graph (range 2 × 10^–8 to 1 × 10^–4 mol/l) was not linear over the entire range of concentration, with a polynomial equation of best fit of y = 1.0 × 10¹⁵ x³ – 2.2 × 10¹¹ x² + 1.3 × 10⁷ x – 8.3. The calibration function approximates linearity over the concentration range 2.5 × 10^–6 to 3.0 × 10^–5 mol/l where the slope of the log-log plot is 1.09 ± 0.16. The detection limit was estimated at about 10^–8 mol/l from the response of the lowest calibration standard (2.5 × 10^–8 mol/l) which gave a signal to noise ratio of 3 : 1. Although the structurally related codeine did not interfere significantly the results suggest that this method may be susceptible to matrix effects, dependent on the location of sampling from the process stream.     

Palladium nanoparticles from solvated atoms—stability and HRTEM characterization

Palladium particles of nanometric dimensions were synthesized by the chemical liquid deposition method in which the Pd atoms were co-deposited at 77 K with 2-propanol, acetone, and tetrahydrofurane vapor to obtain colloidal dispersions. The colloidal dispersions were characterized by UV–visible spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM). The palladium colloids synthesized by use of these solvents are very stable. A strong absorption band in the UV region suggests that quantum confinement occurs in the nanoparticles obtained by this procedure. Studies of TEM micrographs reveal average size distributions between 1 and 5 nm for all Pd colloids. Whereas particle sizes in Pd–2-propanol colloids are not very sensitive to concentration change, the particle-size average in Pd–acetone and Pd–THF increases by 0.5 nm when the concentration increases from 10^–3 to 10^–2 mol l^–1. The HRTEM results show the high crystallinity of Pd nanoparticles and three low-energy structure shapes were found: cuboctahedron, tetrakaidecahedron, and icosahedron.