Development of a flow-through optosensor for determination of Co(II)

A flow-through optical fibre chemical sensor for the determination of Co(II) at trace level using immobilised 2-(4-pyridylazo)resorcinol (PAR) as the reagent phase is proposed. PAR is physically adsorbed onto XAD-7. This method provided a great sensitivity and simplicity with wide linear response range from 1x10(-2) to 1x10(3)ppm and detection limit of 20ppb. This method also showed a reproducible result with relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) of 1.78% and response time of approximately 5min. The response towards Co(II) was also reversible using acidified KCl as the regenerating solution. Interference studies showed that Cr(III) significantly interfered during the determination. Excellent agreement with reference to inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICPOES) method was achieved when the developed sensor was applied for determination of Co(II) in aqueous samples.     

Selective determination of Ni(II) and Co(II) by flow injection analysis and adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry on a wall jet mercury film electrode

Ni(II) and Co(II) have been determined simultaneously by means of adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry (AdCSV) in a computerised flow injection system. The working electrode was a glassy carbon disk that was fitted in a wall-jet flow cell. The electrode was initially electrochemically coated with a mercury film at -1.0 V by injecting a Hg(II) solution in the flow stream. Then, the sample, containing Ni(II) and Co(II), was mixed on-line with a solution containing dimethylgyoxime (DMG) at pH 9 in order to selectively complex the metal ions and was injected in the flow system. After a number of successive injections during which accumulation took place under controlled potentiostatic conditions, the surface-bound complexes were reduced in ammonia buffer at pH 9 by a cathodic scan of the potential of the working electrode in the square wave mode and the current-potential response was recorded. Finally, the electrode surface was regenerated by a potentiostatic polarisation at -1.4 V in the same buffer. The apparatus could be easily converted for continuous flow accumulation in order to increase the sensitivity; in this mode of operation, instead of performing discrete injections, the sample was continuously pumped through the cell. Various parameters associated with the preconcentration, stripping and regeneration steps were optimised for the determination of Ni(II) and Co(II). The selectivity of the method was demonstrated for the analysis of high purity iron; the accuracy for the determination of Ni(II) and Co(II) was 11 and 3%, respectively while the coefficient of variation was 10 and 8%, respectively.     

Determination of cobalt by adsorptive stripping voltammetry with double accumulation and stripping steps

A double accumulation and stripping steps were proposed to increase the sensitivity of Co(II) determination by catalytic adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV). Electrodes with large and small surface area were used for the first and second accumulation step, respectively. As the accumulation of Co(II) complex at the first electrode was finished, the electrode was placed at a short distance opposite the second one. Then the Co(II) complex desorbed from the first electrode was accumulated at the second electrode. Taking into account the small volume of space between the electrodes, the concentration of the Co(II) complex in solution between the electrodes was drastically higher than that in the bulk solution. The accumulation step at the second electrode was performed from the solution with higher concentration of Co(II) and therefore the detection limit was lowered. The calibration graph of Co(II) determination for accumulation time of 120 s at both electrodes was linear from 1.18 to 58.9 ng L^?1. The detection limit for Co(II) was equal to 0.47 ng L^?1 and it is so far the lowest detection limit obtained for Co(II) using mercury-free electrodes. The proposed method was applied to Co(II) determination in water certified reference material.     

Determination of Co(II) by chemiluminescence after in situ electrochemical pre-separation on a flow-through mercury film electrode

A novel method of electrochemical pre-separation of Co(II) before detection by chemiluminescence is reported together with the associated instrumentation. The Co(II) ions were selectively pre-separated on a mercury film electrode (MFE) by on-line reduction, then the accumulated metal was oxidised and selectively stripped back into the flowing solution as Co(II). These secondary ions were quantified as a result of their catalytic activity on the chemiluminescent reaction between luminol and hydrogen peroxide that was also induced on-line. The whole sequence was carried out in an automated flow-through system, in which the electrochemical pre-separation of metals was performed in either continuous flow or flow injection analysis (FIA) regimes. The scope of the method, both in terms of selectivity and sensitivity, has been demonstrated and the quantitative determination of Co(II) by the proposed method has been investigated. For a period of continuous flow pre-separation of 4 min, the calibration curve for Co(II) was linear up to a concentration of 100 micrograms l-1, the relative standard deviation was 4% at the 20 micrograms l-1 level and the limit of detection was 0.5 microgram l-1 (at the 3 sigma level). The method was applied to the determination of the cobalt content in a high purity iron sample.     

Differential pulse polarographic determination of Co(II) using moxifloxacine

The polarographic reduction of Co(II) in the presence of moxifloxacin (1-cyclopropyl-7-[(S,S)-2.8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]non-8-yl]-6-fluoro-8-methoxy-1.4-dihydro-4-oxo-3-quinolinecarboxylic acid) gives rise to an additional adsorption peak corresponding to the reduction of Co(II)-moxifloxacin complex on the mercury drop electrode at −1.17 V. This new peak is applicable to Co(II) determination with the linearity proportional to the Co(II) concentration in the range of 4.93 × 10⁻⁷−6.90 × 10⁻⁵ M and can be attributed to an adsorption-controlled process with an irreversible reduction. Without using moxifloxacin, the polarographic determination of 2.50 × 10⁻⁶ M Co(II) is impossible under the given conditions due to very poor sensitivity at −1.38 V. The proposed method showed good precision and accuracy with a relative standard deviation of 3.01% and relative error of +6.40% for the determination of 2.50 × 10⁻⁶ M Co(II) next to 5.0 × 10⁻⁶ M of Zn(II), Ni(II), and Cd(II). The accuracy of the method was also checked by the determination of Co(II) spiked with tap water and certified sea water, and the percentage recoveries were 97.5 and 96.7%, respectively (n = 4 at 95% confidence interval). The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Simultaneous determination of Pt and Rh by catalytic adsorptive stripping voltammetry, using hexamethylene tetramine (HMTA) as complexing agent

Characteristics of the adsorption/electro-reduction of Pt/Rh hexamethylene tetramine (HMTA) complex on static mercury drop electrode surface were studied. Cyclic voltammetry was carried out to get the insight about the mechanistic behaviour of the catalytic current obtained in the voltammetric scan of Pt/Rh HMTA complex in acidic solution. Adsorptive stripping voltammetry using HMTA as the complexing agent was found to be highly sensitive method for the determination of Pt/Rh. Voltammetric measurements were carried out using hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) as the working electrode, a glassy carbon rod as the counter and an Ag/AgCl/KCl_saturated as the reference electrode. Various electrochemical parameters like deposition potential, deposition time, concentration of the ligand, supporting electrolyte etc. were optimized. The detection limit of Pt and Rh was found to be 4.38 pML⁻¹ and 2.80 pML⁻¹, respectively for the deposition time of 30 s. Simultaneous determination of Pt(II) and Rh(III) in water samples was possible. The method was found to be free from the commonly occurring interfering ions such as Cu(II), Cd(II), Zn(II), Pb(II), Cr(III), Cr(VI), Fe(III), Fe(II), Ni(II) and Co(II). Spike recovery tests for both Pt and Rh in tap water and sea water samples were also carried out. The method has been verified by analyzing certified reference material (WMG-1).     

Voltammetric Determination of Mercury(II) at Poly(3‐hexylthiophene) Film Electrode. Effect of Halide Ions

The well‐known method for the determination of mercury(II), which is based on the anodic stripping voltammetry of mercury(II), has been adapted for applications at the thin film poly(3‐hexylthiophene) polymer electrode. Halide ions have been found to increase the sensitivity of the mercury response and shift it more positive potentials. This behavior is explained by formation of mercuric halide which can be easily deposited and stripped from the polymer electrode surface. The procedure was optimized for mercury determination. For 120 s accumulation time, detection limit of 5 ng mL^?1 mercury(II) has been observed. The relative standard deviation is 1.3% at 40 ng mL^?1 mercury(II). The performance of the polymer film studied in this work was evaluated in the presence of surfactants and some potential interfering metal ions such as cadmium, lead, copper and nickel.     

Simultaneous determination of cobalt and palladium in micellar media using H-point standard addition method and partial least square regression

A simple, sensitive and selective spectrophotometric method for the simultaneous determination of Co(II) and Pd(II) using partial least square (PLS) calibration and H-point standard addition method is described. The method is based on the complex formation of Co(II) and Pd(II) with 4-(2-pyridylazo) resorcinol (PAR) in acidic media and in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as a micellizing agent. Acidic media and the presence of a micellar system improve selectivity and sensitivity, respectively. By applying PLS calibration, Co(II) and Pd(II) can be determined in the range of 0.20-2.0 and 0.40-4.0 microg ml(-1), respectively. The relative errors of prediction for the determination of Co(II) and Pd(II) in the 10 prediction samples were 1.69 and 1.72%, respectively. The results of applying H-point standard addition method show that Co(II) and Pd(II) can be determined simultaneously with concentration ratio of Co(II) to Pd(II) varying between 7:1 and 1:8 in the mixed samples. Both proposed methods (PLS and HPSAM) were applied to the determination of Co(II) and Pd(II) in several alloy solutions with satisfactory results.     

Selective stripping voltammetric determinations employing cells for electrolysis with simultaneous ion-exchange or solvent extraction

Cells have been designed for stripping-voltammetry analyses employing graphite working electrodes and mercury film electrodes on a graphite support, permitting ion-exchange or solvent extraction separation simultaneously with the pre-electrolysis. The ion-exchange separation was tested on the determination of mercury in the presence of excess of copper(II), lead and cadmium and on the determination of bismuth in the presence of excess of copper(II). The solvent extraction separation was tested on the determination of mercury(II) in the presence of copper(II), lead and cadmium and the determination of copper(II) in the presence of bismuth. Very good results were obtained by using ion-exchange, where the sensitivity and precision of the determination are comparable with those obtained in the determinations without separation, the separation efficiency being very high, limited virtually only by the capacity of the ion-exchanger used. The solvent extraction separations yielded poorer results: the sensitivity of the determination is decreased substantially, the separation efficiency is not very high and difficulties arise from the adsorption of the organic phase on the electrode surface.     

Square wave adsorptive stripping voltammetry of molybdenum(VI) in continuous flow at a wall-jet mercury film electrode sensor

An adsorptive stripping voltammetry method for the determination of traces of molybdenum(VI) in flowing solution at a wall-jet electrode sensor has been developed. After adsorption of a molybdenum complex on a wall-jet mercury film electrode, the complex is reduced by a square wave scan. More satisfactory results were obtained using 8-hydroxyquinoline as a complexing agent in nitrate medium than using Toluidine Blue in oxalic acid. Enhanced sensitivity was achieved by optimizing adsorption time and square wave parameter values. The detection limit of Mo(VI) was found to be at the nanomolar level. Interference of some other metallic species in the determination of nanomolar Mo(VI) was also investigated: Cu(II), Zn(II), Mn(II) do not interfere at 10 muM, whereas 1 muM FeEDTA(-) causes an increase in peak current. This iron interference was removed effectively with citric acid.     

Catalytic hydrogen evolution in cathodic stripping voltammetry on a mercury electrode in the presence of cobalt(II) ion and phenylthiourea or thiourea.

The system Co(II)-phenylthiourea (PTU)-borax buffer was investigated by cathodic stripping voltammetry (CSV) at a hanging mercury drop electrode. The results of the voltammetric measurements showed that the presence of both PTU and Co(II) gives rise to a new irreversible peak at about -1.5 V. Based upon our previous results obtained in the study of other sulfur compounds and the sulfide ion itself, the peak was ascribed to the catalytic hydrogen evolution superimposed on the reduction of the coordinated Co(II) ion. The catalyst itself is a Co(II) complex with the sulfide ion produced by the decomposition of the analyte during the deposition step. The influence of PTU and cobalt concentration, accumulation conditions and stripping parameters was investigated and complementary data on thiourea are included. The results showed that the measurement of the catalytic hydrogen evolution peak current can be used as a basis for a simple, accurate and rapid method for the determination of PTU within the concentration range 10-100 nM. The catalytic method is relatively free of interferences and could be a suitable alternative for cases in which the stripping peak due to mercury ion reduction in the accumulated mercury compound is disturbed by some interference.     

A study on the adsorption voltammetry of cobalt(II)—dime thylglyoxime system

The behaviour of the cobalt complex with dimethylglyoxime (DMG), Co(II)A₂, at the mercury electrode has been investigated in details. The adsorption phenomena have been observed by both normal pulse polarography and voltammetry with linearly changing potential. Experimental results show that, under the condition of adsorption potentials ranging from ?0.60 to ?0.9 eV (vs. S.C.E.), Co(II)A₂ can be adsorbed on the surface of hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) very well. The superficial concentrations represents a Langmuir isotherm with both concentration of Co(II)A₂ and the preconcentration time. The superficial concentration equation for adsorption voltammetry, corresponding to the condition of the low coverage of the electrode surface, is deduced. The equation has been verified experimentally. The sensitivity of the proposed method, which has been analysed theoretically, is independent on the scan rate and the surface area of HMDE, but depends on the preconcentration time and the diffusion layer thickness. For the 120 sec accumulation, the lower limit of determination is 1.10^?9 M.     

Voltammetric method for ultra-trace determination of total mercury and toxic metals in vegetables. Comparison with spectroscopy

A new procedure for the determination of mercury(II), copper(II), lead(II), cadmium(II) and zinc(II) traces in food matrices by square wave anodic stripping voltammetry and standard addition method is proposed. A rapid, inexpensive and multi-analyte analytical method suitable for food safety control is provided. Comestible vegetables were chosen as samples. A two-step, sequential determination was defined, employing two working electrodes: a gold electrode (GE) for mercury(II) and copper(II), and subsequently a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) for copper(II), lead(II), cadmium(II) and zinc(II). No sample pre-treatment was needed. Spinach leaves, tomato leaves and apple leaves were employed as standard reference materials to optimize and defined the analytical procedure. The new method shows good selectivity, sensitivity, detectability and accuracy. A critical comparison with spectroscopic measurements is discussed. Spinach, lettuce and tomato samples sold on the market were analysed as real samples. Lead(II) and cadmium(II) concentration exceeded the relevant legal limits.      

Mercury(II) ion-selective electrodes based on p-tert-butyl calix[4]crowns with imine units.

A PVC membrane incorporating p-tert-butyl calix[4]crown with imine units as an ionophore was prepared and used in an ion-selective electrode for the determination of mercury(II) ions. An electrode based on this ionophore showed a good potentiometric response for mercury(II) ions over a wide concentration range of 5.0 x 10(-5) - 1.0 x 10(-1) M with a near-Nernstian slope of 27.3 mV per decade. The detection limit of the electrode was 2.24 x 10(-5) M and the electrode worked well in the pH range of 1.3 - 4.0. The electrode showed a short response time of less than 20 s. The electrode also showed better selectivity for mercury(II) ions over many of the alkali (Na+, -1.69; K+, -1.54), alkaline-earth (Ca2+, -3.30; Ba2+, -3.32), and heavy metal ions (Co2+, -3.67; Ni2+, -3.43; Pb2+, -3.31; Fe3+, -1.82). Ag+ ion was found to be the strongest interfering ion. Also, sharp end points were obtained when the sensor was used as an indicator electrode for the potentiometric titration of mercury(II) ions with iodide and dichromate ions.     

Determination of cobalt by catalytic-adsorptive differential pulse voltammetry

A novel method is described for the determination of cobalt(II) by differential pulse voltammetry, based on accumulation of a cobalt complex, [CoSCNNO]⁺, on a hanging mercury drop electrode, followed by measurement of the catalytic current of the adsorbed complex. The effects of various experimental parameters on the catalytic current were investigated. The current was found to be linear for 0.3 nM to 100 nM Co, with a detection limit of 70 pM (4.1 ng l⁻¹) and a relative standard deviation of 1.6% for 50 nM Co (n = 25). The developed method showed considerable selectivity against nickel and zinc. A possible mechanism of the reduction process is proposed.     

Liquid-state mercury(II) ion-selective electrode based on N-(O,O-diisopropylthiophosphoryl)thiobenzamide

A liquid ion-exchange electrode containing a complex of mercury(II) with N-(O,O-diisopropylthiophosphoryl)thiobenzamide in carbon tetrachloride is described. The electrode shows excellent sensitivity and good selectivity. The slope of the calibration graph is 29.0 mV/pHg²⁺ in the pHg²⁺ in the pHg²⁺ range 2–15.2 in mercury(II) ion buffers. The electrode can be used for determination of 5 × 10^?5–10^?2 M Hg(II) in the presence of 10^?2 M Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II), Zn(II), Pb(II), Cd(II), Mn(II), Fe(III), Cr(III), Bi(III) or Al(III) ions and in the presence of 10^?3 M Ag(I) ions. It can bealso used for end-point detection in titrations with EDTA of 10^?3–10^?4 M mercury(II) at pH 2.     

Highly Sensitive Differential Pulse Voltammetric Determination of Cd,Zn and Pb Ions in Water Samples Using Stable Carbon‐Based Mercury Thin‐Film Electrode

A new carbon‐based mercury thin‐film electrode consisting of screen‐printed carbon on a low temperature co‐fired ceramic substrate was made. Ex‐situ mercury deposition in a potassium thiocyanate solution was used. This approach an electrode with high long‐term stability (>500 measurement cycles) and reproducibility (≤2 %) for sensitive determination of ultra trace heavy metals, using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry. The detection limits were 0.25, 0.08 and 5.5 ng mL^?1 for Cd(II), Pb(II), and Zn(II), respectively. The method was applied to the determination of the analytes in water, wastewater, lake water, and certified reference material samples with satisfactory results.     

Test method for the separate determination of mercury(II), cadmium, and lead in one sample on the fibrous sorbent PANV-AV-17

The sorption of Hg(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II) as anionic complexes on the solid phase of polyacrylonitrile fiber filled with the AV-17 anion exchanger from NaCl and KI solutions and their complexation with 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol (PAR) and dithizone were studied. A test method was developed for the individual determination of Hg(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II) from one sample on three support disks. From the same solution, by the successive sorption on two disks from a 0.2 M NaCl solution, mercury was determined with dithizone and cadmium was determined with PAR. After the addition of a KI solution and sorption on the third disk, lead was determined with PAR. Using the added-found method, the procedure was approved in the analysis of natural sodium chloride water. The detection limit was 0.01 mg/L for Hg(II) and 0.02 mg/L for Cd(II) and Pb(II) for a volume of the analyzed sample of 25 mL. The time of the analysis of five or six samples (determination of three elements) is no longer than 50 min.     

Catalytic hydrogen evolution in the presence of methylthiohydantoin-glycine and cobalt(II) ion: a study by cathodic stripping voltammetry at a hanging mercury drop electrode

The carbon-sulfur bond in methylthiohydantoin-glycine (MTH-Gly) is broken during the deposition on the mercury electrode at potentials around -0.1 V versus SCE, giving mercury sulfide which is detected by the characteristic cathodic peak at -0.7 V. If cobalt (II) is also present, the product of the deposition step is a mixture of mercury and cobalt sulfides. During the cathodic scan, the last one is reduced to a transient Co(0) species that catalyses the reduction of hydrogen ion to the hydrogen molecule by a mechanism alike to that emphasized for the Co(II)-sulfide ion system (F.G. B?nic?, N. Sp?taru, T. Sp?taru, Electroanalysis 9 (1997) 1341). This electrode process induces a cathodic peak at -1.4 V that enables the determination of MTH-Gly down to 10(-7) M in the borax buffer at pH 8.5. The possible extension of this method to other classes of organic sulfur compounds is briefly discussed.     

Simultaneous determination of tin and lead by a.c. anodic stripping voltammetry at a hanging mercury drop electrode sensitized by cetyltrimethylammoniu

The influence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) on the simultaneous determination of tin(IV) and lead(II) by anodic stripping voltammetry at a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) in a 0.1 M hydrochloric acid—0.1 M oxalic acid medium was studied using d.c. and a.c. stripping. In the presence of CTAB, tin and lead show voltammetric peaks separated by 100 mV, the sensitivity depending on the concentration of CTAB. The best conditions for the simultaneous determination of both elements (2 × 10^-3 M) were found. A method is proposed for the determination of tin in the presence of lead and three procedures are given for the determination of lead in the presence of tin.