Alloy electrodes with high hydrogen overvoltage for analytical use in voltammetry. Some preliminary results

Liquid mercury and liquid diluted mercury amalgams have been the major electrode systems employed in voltammetry and related methods. This is mainly due to their high overvoltage to hydrogen, which enables the determination of heavy metals (zinc, nickel, cobalt, etc.) and other species with high negative half-wave potentials; the toxicity of mercury and liquid diluted mercury leads to ever increasing restrictions in their use. The use of such systems may even be forbidden in the future, at least in online systems for work in the field. Recent work, carried out in our laboratory, has demonstrated that a non-toxic solid dental amalgam may be used as the electrode material, conveniently replacing mercury. An extension of this work has shown that electrode materials comprising a metal or a compound with low hydrogen overvoltage change their hydrogen overvoltage properties substantially when contaminated with even small amounts of metals or compounds which show high hydrogen overvoltage. This extends greatly the range of potentially available electrode systems and thereby analytical possibilities of voltammetry. This new discovery also makes it possible to produce solid electrodes that have high overvoltage to hydrogen without any use of mercury.     

Amalgam Electrodes for Electroanalysis

Liquid mercury is a unique material for the indicator electrode in voltammetry. One reason for this is the high overvoltage for hydrogen formation, thus extending the actual potential window. Diluted amalgams are important reaction products in voltammetric (polarographic) processes, however liquid amalgams are rarely used directly as electrode material for analytical purposes. Because of the fact that voltammetry is very suitable for field and remote monitoring, issues concerning the use of mercury electrodes in environmental analyses have led to considerable research effort aimed at finding alternative tools with acceptable performance. Solid electrodes are such alternatives. Different types of electrodes are reviewed. In particular, solid amalgam electrodes are very promising, with acceptable low toxicity to be used for field measurements. Solid amalgam electrodes are easy and cheap to construct and are stable over a reasonable time up to several weeks. Assessment of the toxicity risk and the long time stability for remote and unattended monitoring is discussed. The differences between solid dental amalgam electrodes, made by using techniques known from dental clinical practice, and mercury film or mercury layer electrodes on solid substrates are reviewed. In particular the dental technique for constructing solid amalgam electrodes gives advantage because it's fast and inexpensive. Also the technique for making dental amalgam has been explored and optimized over years by dentists, giving advantage when the same technique is used for constructing electrodes. Dental amalgam electrodes has been found to act similar to a silver electrodes, but with high overvoltage towards hydrogen. This make it possible to use the dental amalgam electrode for detection of zinc, cobalt and nickel in additions to other metals like lead, copper, thallium, cadmium, bismuth, iron etc. Also the use for reducible organic compounds is expected to be promising.     

Renewable silver amalgam film electrodes in electrochemical stripping analysis—a review

The success of a voltammetric sensing procedure depends mainly on the proper choice of the working electrode. This is because its ability to accumulate the analyte determines the sensitivity of the method. The main criterion of the selection of the proper working electrode is the available potential window. A variety of conductive materials have been used for the preparation of working electrodes. Of these, two kinds of mercury electrodes—hanging mercury drop and film—were used because of their excellent voltammetric performance and, in particular, their high overpotential of hydrogen reduction. The significant drawbacks of mercury electrodes, however, are the toxicity of the material and the instability of liquid mercury films. To overcome these disadvantages, less toxic mercury-containing materials have been used, such as amalgams and amalgam film electrodes. This group includes renewable silver amalgam film electrodes used for electrochemical stripping sensing purposes. These electrodes have successfully been applied for anodic, adsorptive, cathodic, catalytic voltammetric, and potentiometric stripping determination of trace amounts of inorganic cations and organic compounds in various natural matrices. In this review, the electrode design, characteristics, and application of two kinds of renewable silver amalgam film electrodes are discussed in detail.     

Voltammetry using a dental amalgam electrode for heavy metal monitoring of wines and spirits

We have introduced a non-toxic electrode material similar to dental amalgam for use in voltammetry. Its electrochemical properties are like a silver electrode. However, it possesses a higher overvoltage towards hydrogen than silver, and therefore enables detection of metals like zinc, nickel and cobalt. As such solid electrodes are found to give stable results over several weeks, without any maintenance, and because this method greatly facilitates monitoring of heavy metals, attempts to apply such methods to various samples have been are carried out. The present paper deals with the determination of zinc and lead at nanogram per milliliter levels in wines and spirits with only minor treatment of the samples. The procedure may easily be adapted to continuous monitoring.We have previously found that audible sound may greatly increase the voltammetric signal using liquid mercury as well as silver as electrode material. This is also applied to the actual systems.Finally, model determinations of thallium in brandy with the dental amalgam electrode are compared with atomic absorption spectrometric (AAS) measurements. It was found that the electrode could be used repeatedly, without fouling, and with results close to those found by the AAS method.     

Gewinnung und Verhalten der Amalgame der Metalle der IVa- bis VIa-Gruppe

The usual methods for the production of amalgams—dissolving of metals in mercury, or electrolytic deposition on mercury—are not suitable for the preparation of amalgams of transition metals. However amalgams of the transitions elements can be prepared by reduction of their dry halides with sodium amalgam. These amalgams are unstable against aqueous solutions under oxidising conditions and decompose by dewetting of the suspended metal particles. The stability can be improved by addition of components, e.g. oxalic acid or HF to the solution, which prevent the formation of oxide layers on the dewetted metal particles. By using such solutions in processing the reaction products of the halides with sodium amalgam the amalgams of the transition elements can be obtained without decomposition.

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Herrn Prof. Dr.H. Hohn zum 70. Geburtstag gewidmet.     

Nafion Film Immobilized Nano Ag‐Hg Amalgam Glassy Carbon Electrode Used for Simultaneous Determination of Lead,Cadmium and Copper

In this work, a new route to reduce the toxicity of the mercury electrode was presented. Nafion was used as soft template to generate nanosized Ag‐Hg amalgams on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode other than the traditional preparation of solid amalgam electrodes. As less mercury was used and it was immobilized by Ag and Nafion film, the toxicity of mercury was reduced. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed that the size of the formed nano Ag‐Hg amalgams was about 50 nm. Finally, the prepared electrode was used to the determination of heavy metals. Good reproducibility, linearity and sensitivity were obtained when it was utilized for the determination of Cd²⁺, Pb²⁺ and Cu²⁺ in deionized water and in tap water (without any further treatment).     

Voltammetric Behavior of Osmium‐Labeled DNA at Mercury Meniscus‐Modified Solid Amalgam Electrodes. Detecting DNA Hybridization

The complex of osmium tetroxide with 2,2′‐bipyridine has been utilized as a probe of DNA structure and an electroactive marker of DNA in DNA hybridization sensors. It produces several voltammetric signals, the most negative of them has been observed only at mercury electrodes. This signal is of catalytic nature affording a high sensitivity of DNA determination. The catalytic current due to evolution of hydrogen in voltammetry of DNA modified by complex of osmium tetroxide with 2,2′‐bipyridine (DNA‐Os,bipy) was studied. Solid amalgam electrodes (modified with mercury menisci) of silver (m‐AgSAE), copper (m‐CuSAE), gold, and of combined bismuth and silver, were used as possible substitutes for mercury electrodes. Besides the hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE), the catalytic current was observed only on m‐AgSAE and m‐CuSAE. Electrodes of gold and bismuth amalgams did not give the catalytic current. The detection limit of DNA‐Os,bipy on HMDE was 0.1 ng mL^?1 (RSD=2.3 %, N=11), and on m‐AgSAE 0.2 ng mL^?1 (RSD=3.1%, N=11). The m‐AgSAE was successfully applied as a detection electrode in double‐surface DNA hybridization experiments offering highly specific discrimination between complementary (target) and nonspecific DNAs, as well as determination of the length of a repetitive DNA sequence. The m‐AgSAE has proved a convenient alternative to the HMDE or carbon electrodes used for similar purposes in previous work.     

The use of copper solid amalgam electrodes for determination of the pesticide thiram

The complexes formed between copper and thiram and between mercury and thiram have been electrochemically (voltammetrically) investigated in the present work. Their structure was confirmed using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Due to formation of the complex between copper (from copper solid amalgam electrode) and thiram, the concentration of this pesticide can be determined. The voltammetric behavior of thiram was investigated at polished (p-CuSAE) and mercury meniscus modified (m-CuSAE) copper solid amalgam electrodes (inner diameter 1.5 mm) by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and by direct current voltammetry (DCV). Optimum conditions for DPV determination of thiram were found in Britton–Robinson buffer. The reaction mechanism was investigated using DCV and elimination voltammetry with linear scan. DPV with optimized parameters was applied for determination of thiram in analyzed solutions. The limits of detection were calculated as 16 nmol?L^?1 (t _acc?=?100 s) for m-CuSAE and 23 nmol?L^?1 (t _acc?=?60 s) for p-CuSAE. The proposed method was successfully applied for thiram determination in real sample solutions.     

Evaluations of solid electrodes for use in voltammetric monitoring of heavy metals in samples from metallurgical nickel industry

Evaluation of different solid electrode systems for detection of zinc, lead, cobalt, and nickel in process water from metallurgical nickel industry with use of differential pulse stripping voltammetry has been performed. Zinc was detected by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) on a dental amalgam electrode as intermetallic Ni–Zn compound after dilution in ammonium buffer solution. The intermetallic compound was observed at –375 mV, and a linear response was found in the range 0.2–1.2 mg L^–1 (r²=0.98) for 60 s deposition time. Simultaneous detection of nickel and cobalt in the low g L^–1 range was successfully performed by use of adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry (AdCSV) of dimethylglyoxime complexes on a silver–bismuth alloy electrode, and a good correlation was found with corresponding AAS results (r²=0.999 for nickel and 0.965 for cobalt). Analyses of lead in the g L^–1 range in nickel-plating solution were performed with good sensitivity and stability by DPASV, using a working electrode of silver together with a glassy carbon counter electrode in samples diluted 1:3 with distilled water and acidified with H₂SO₄ to pH 2. A new commercial automatic at-line system was tested, and the results were found to be in agreement with an older mercury drop system. The stability of the solid electrode systems was found to be from one to several days without any maintenance needed.     

Electrochemical Study of Moroxydine and its Voltammetric Determination with a Silver Amalgam Film Electrode

Moroxydine (Mor.) is an antiviral agent of biguanide structure. The paper presents a new silver amalgam film electrode (Hg(Ag)FE) for determination of Mor. in phosphate buffer, pH 6.2 (LOD=4×10^?9 mol L^?1, LOQ= 1×10^?8 mol L^?1) and in spiked urine using square wave adsorptive stripping voltammetry. It was found that the compound can act as an electrocatalyst not only at hanging mercury drop electrode but also at the Hg(Ag)FE. The electrode mechanism is connected with the hydrogen evolution reaction catalyzed by moroxydine. Adsorption of moroxydine at the mercury electrode was studied and special arrangements of molecules enabling electron transfer of the protonated form of moroxydine is suggested.     

A Critical Comparison of Hanging Mercury Drop Electrode and Long Lasting Sessile Drop Mercury Electrode in A.C. Anodic Stripping Voltammerty

Abstract

The hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) and the long lasting sessile drop mercury electrode (LLSDME) currently used in trace metal analysis are critically compared. Alternating current anodic stripping voltammetry (AC-ASV) and alternating current linear sweep voltammetry (AC-LSV) respectively are employed for the determination of Zn,Cd, Pb, Cu and Fe.

The influence of the electrolysis time, stirring rate, a.c. amplitude, frequency and scan rate on the peak current is evaluated.

Analytical measurements were carried out by the standard addition method, using 0.02 mol/l HClO₄ + 0.1 mol/l NaClO₄ (Zn, Cd, Pb, Cu) and 0.1 mol/l (COONa)₂, (Fe), respectively as supporting electrolytes.     

Reductive potentiometric stripping analysis for elements forming sparingly soluble mercury compounds with amalgamated metal as the reducing agent

The suitability of amalgamated metals as reducing agents in reductive potentiometric stripping analysis is demonstrated. The amalgams are generated in a mercury pool by electrolysis of dissolved metals. During the stripping process, the reducing agent, which is stored inside the working electrode, reacts with sparingly soluble mercury compounds of the analytes preconcentrated on the electrode surface. The importance of the timing of the processes involving amalgam formation and analyte preconcentration is discussed. With amalgamated sodium, the technique is suitable for the determination of selenium and sulphur at the 10^-7 M level with 1–2 min preconcentration. Halides may be determined at the 10^-6 M level with a few seconds of preconcentration; a less powerful reducing agent such as amalgamated zinc is then suitable.     

Low Frequency Sound for Effective Sensitivity Enhancement in Staircase Voltammetry

ABSTRACT

The success of improving the sensitivity in differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry by exposure of low frequency sound has been reported in earlier papers.

It has been found that audible sound in the low frequency range, of about 100 Hz or lower is very effective for this purpose, with an increase of the signal up to about 300%, without any significant increase of the corresponding noise level.

It has been assumed that a similar effect will also appear with other modes of voltammetry. In this present paper this assumption is confirmed by use of low frequency sound in dc stripping and staircase voltammetry.

Ordinary stirring or rotating has to be avoided during a voltammetric scanning due to the low reproducibility when this takes place. Sound exposure, however, can be performed during the entire measurement.

The simplicity of using audible sound together with enhanced sensitivity and more reproducible analyses makes this method potentially attractive, especially for use in online instruments.

The enhancement in sensitivity has been found both for analyses using mercury drop and glassy carbon working electrodes.     

Voltammetric Determination of Trace Amounts of 2‐Methyl‐4,6‐Dinitrophenol at a Silver Solid Amalgam Electrode

The voltammetric behavior of 2‐methyl‐4,6‐dinitrophenol was investigated by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) at a nontoxic mercury meniscus‐modified silver solid amalgam electrode (m‐AgSAE). Conditions have been found for its determination by DPV at m‐AgSAE in the concentration range of 0.2 to 1 μmol L^?1.     

Voltammetric Determination of N,N‐Dimethyl‐4‐amine‐carboxyazobenzene at a Silver Solid Amalgam Electrode

The voltammetric behavior of N,N‐dimethyl‐4‐amino‐2′‐carboxyazobenzene was investigated by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) at a mercury meniscus‐modified silver solid amalgam electrode (m‐AgSAE). Conditions have been found for its determination by DPV at m‐AgSAE in the concentration range of 0.4 to 15 μmol L^?1.     

Simultaneous Determination of Seven Toxic Trace and/or Ultratrace Metals in Environmental Plants by Differential Pulse Voltammetry Without Change of Solution and Electrode

Abstract

A simple and reliable procedure simultaneously to determine seven trace and/or ultratrace toxic metals in a single sample of environmental plants has been presented. The procedure is based on the simultaneous determination of Cu, Pb and Cd by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry, of Zn and Mn by differential pulse voltammetry and of Ni and Co by differential pulse adsorption voltammetry at the hanging mercury drop electrode. The details of sampling, washing and drying of samples and the approach of digestion and preparation of samples for voltammetric determination have been investigated. The method has been applied to determination of the seven metals in grass and hucerne from different environments.     

Determination of Ammonium by Stripping Voltammetry

The behavior of ammonium ions at amalgam electrodes was studied by cyclic and stripping voltammetry. It was found that the oxidation peak of an ammonium hydride amalgam can be used as the analytical signal. Conditions were selected for the determination of ammonium ions in aqueous solutions at a mercury film electrode by stripping voltammetry using potassium chloride as the supporting electrolyte. The determination limit for ammonium ions was found to be 2 × 10^–7M (0.004 mg/L). The procedure was tested in river waters of the Ob' basin and in the atmospheric air.     

Comparison of Mercury Vapor Pressure of Silver Amalgam-Based Electrode Materials Using AAS

Nowadays, several amalgam-based electrodes are commonly used in electrochemistry as a less toxic alternative to mercury electrodes. Therefore, a comparison of the mercury vapor pressure of several silver amalgam-based electrode materials with the mercury vapor pressure of liquid mercury and of dental amalgam using AAS was done in this study. Method was optimized to get the highest mercury signal. Results showed that the mercury vapor pressure of amalgam-based electrode materials not containing liquid mercury is far lower than the mercury vapor pressure of liquid mercury (about two orders of signal magnitude) and comparable with mercury vapor pressure of dental amalgam.     

Determining Trace Concentrations of Copper in Water by Cathodic Film Stripping Voltammetry with Adsorptive Collection

Abstract

A technique is presented for the determination of trace concentrations of copper (II) in natural water samples by cathodic stripping voltammetry of a film of copper-catechol complex ions adsorbed on the hanging mercury drop electrode. The peak height of the copper-catechol reduction peak is linearly dependent upon the copper (II) concentration between 10^?10 and 10^?7 M. The detection limit of the technique is below 10^?10 M copper (II) for a collection time of 3 minutes, but the sensitivity can be further increased four-fold by collecting for 15 minutes. The sensitivity is reduced by high concentrations of competing trace metals and of surfactants, which necessitate the use of standard additions to the sample.     

Linear Scan Stripping Voltammetry at Glassy-Carbon Based Thin Mercury Film Electrodes for Determination of Trace Aluminium in Dialysis Fluids.

Abstract

Linear scan cathodic stripping voltammetry at glassy-carbon based thin mercury film electrodes is a simple and inexpensive alternative for determining trace Al(III) in dialysis fluids.

The efficiency of a variety of ligands (SVRS, Cupferron and Blue Black Eriochrome R) was evaluated comparing their voltamperometric response by application of a linear scan mode, after preconcentration into the mercury film electrode as Al(III) complexes.

The best results were obtained when Cupferron was used as ligand, since its stripping current compares favourably in terms of sensitivity and resolution. The sharply defined cathodic peak at -1.3 V, corresponding to the reduction of the interfacial accumulated complex, could be used for quantitation. The response is linear up to 50 μg/l; correlation coefficient, 0.995. The relative standard deviation (at 20 μg/l level) is 3.5%, a detection limit of 0.5μg/l was estimated from the signal to noise characteristics of the response for 5 μg/l, which compares favourably among the reported electroanalytical methods for aluminium.

We calibrated the method under conditions of use estimating the trace aluminium exposure in patients undergoing dialytic treatment.