Electroanalytical Detection of Cr(VI) and Cr(III) Ions Using a Novel Microbial Sensor

A microbial sensor, namely carbon paste electrode (CPE) modified with Citrobacter freundii (Cf–CPE) has been developed for the detection of hexavalent (Cr(VI)) and trivalent (Cr(III)) chromium present in aqueous samples using voltammetry, an electroanalytical technique. The biosensor developed, demonstrated about a twofold higher performance as compared to the bare CPE for the chosen ions. Using cyclic voltammetry and by employing the fabricated Cf–CPE, the lowest limit of detection (LLOD) of 1x10⁻⁴ M and 5x10⁻⁴ M for Cr(VI) and Cr(III) ions respectively could be achieved. By adopting the Differential Pulse Cathodic Stripping Voltammetric technique, the LLOD could be further improved to 1x10⁻⁹ M and 1x10⁻⁷ M for Cr(VI) and Cr(III) ions respectively using the biomodified electrodes. The reactions occurring at the electrode surface‐chromium solution interface and the mechanisms of biosorption of chromium species onto the biosensor are discussed. The stability and utility of the developed biosensor for the analysis of Cr(VI) and Cr(III) ions in chromite mine water samples has been evaluated.     

Comparison of Boron‐Doped Diamond and Glassy Carbon Electrodes for Determination of Procaine Hydrochloride

The electrochemical oxidation of procaine hydrochloride (PC?HCL, 2‐diethylaminoethyl 4‐aminobenzoate hydrochloride) was investigated at as‐deposited boron‐doped diamond (ad‐BDD) electrode, anodically oxidized BDD (ao‐BDD) electrode and glassy carbon (GC) electrode using cyclic voltammetry (CV). Well‐defined cyclic voltammograms were obtained for PC?HCL oxidation with high signal‐to‐background (S/B) ratio, low tendency for adsorption, good reproducibility and long‐term stability at ad‐BDD electrode, demonstrating its superior electrochemical behavior and significant advantages in contrast to ao‐BDD and GC electrode. At 100 μM PC?HCL, the voltammetric S/B ratio was nearly one order of magnitude higher at an ad‐BDD electrode than that at a GC electrode. In a separate set of experiments for oxidation of 100 μM PC?HCL, 96%, 92% and 84% of the initial oxidation peak current was retained at the ad‐BDD, ao‐BDD and GC electrode, respectively, by stirring the solution after the tenth cycle. The current response was linearly proportional to the square root of the scan rate within the range 10–1000 mV s^?1 in 10 μM PC?HCL solutions, indicating that the oxidation process was diffusion‐controlled with negligible adsorption at an ad‐BDD surface. The good linearity was observed for a concentration range from 5 to 200 μM with a linear equation of y=0.03517x+0.65346 (r=0.999), and the detection limit was 0.5 μM for oxidation of PC?HCL at the ad‐BDD electrode. The ad‐BDD electrode could maintain 100% of its original activity after intermittent use for 3 months.     

Photocatalytically-assisted electrochemical degradation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-aminophenol in aqueous solutions using zeolite-supported TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> catalyst

This paper reports the results of an investigation into enhancement of the electrochemical oxidation of p-aminophenol (4-AP) in an aqueous solution with a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode, assisted by photocatalysis using a zeolite-supported TiO₂ (Z-TiO₂) catalyst. The BDD electrode was characterised in 0.1 M Na₂SO₄-supporting electrolyte and the presence of 4-AP by open-circuit potential behaviour (OCP) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The electrode behaviour was investigated in the dark and following UV irradiation and in the absence/presence of the Z-TiO₂ catalyst. The electro-oxidation process was carried out using chronoamperometry (CA) and multiple-pulsed amperometry (MPA) at the selected potential under potentiostatic conditions. The electrochemical degradation process of 4-AP on the BDD electrode was improved by the application of a pulsed potential, which allowed both in-situ electrochemical cleaning of the electrode and indirect oxidation of 4-AP by oxygen evolution. The application of photocatalysis using Z-TiO₂ in the 4-AP electrochemical degradation exhibited an enhanced effect when the anodic potential was set at +1.25 V vs. Ag/AgCl in the water stability region, close to the oxygen evolution potential.     

Voltammetric Behavior of Nitrofurazone at Highly Boron Doped Diamond Electrode

The electrochemical behavior of nitrofurazone (NFZ) at a highly boron doped diamond (BDD) electrode was studied in Britton‐Robinson (BR) buffer using cyclic voltammetry. NFZ was directly reduced to the amine derivative (RNH₂) in the pH range of 2.0 to 4.0 in a process involving six (6.0±0.4) electrons and six protons. In the range of pH 7.0 to 12 and, predominantly aqueous medium, the reduction step split into its two components: the reduction of NFZ to the radical anion (RNO₂^.?) and reduction of RNO₂^.? to hydroxylamine derivative (RNHOH) in processes involving one and three (3.1±0.1) electrons, respectively. On the anodic scan of the voltammograms and at pH 8.0, the oxidation of the hydroxylamine to the nitroso derivative (RNO), was observed in a process involving 2 (1.7±0.2) electrons and 2 protons. In addition and unreported in the literature on any electrode material, was the detection of a new oxidation peak at pH>8.0, which was observed regardless of whether NFZ had been previously reduced or not. The calculation of n, number of electrons, involved in each electrochemical step was satisfactorily accomplished using the Randles‐?evcik equation.     

Reduction of Cr(VI) Assisted by Sol-Gel Generated Electron-Hole Centers

We report an in-situ harvesting technique of electron-hole (e⁻-h⁺) carriers (e.g., the defect electrons in the O^{2 −} matrix and the self-trapped holes, Si–O⁻–Si) generated during sol-gel processing. In the absence of redox species, the e⁻-h⁺ centers created during room temperature sol-gel polycondensation steps are quickly annihilated and deactivated. However, when Cr(VI) ions are pre-dispersed in sol-gel solutions, the ejected electrons can be effectively harvested for the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) ions which are encapsulated in the silica gel matrix. The Cr(VI) ions, the possible intermediate oxidation states of chromium ions such as Cr(V) and/or Cr(IV), and the stable Cr(III)-hole complexes in the sol-gel matrix are investigated using uv-visible spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. The chemical stability of Cr(VI) and Cr(III) in sol-gel networks is compared to that in aqueous solutions. The results indicate that the utilization of e⁻-h⁺ carriers generated in the sol-gel can be an effective and selective means for investigating the redox process of Cr(VI) and encapsulating the stable Cr(III) ions in the confined sol-gel environments.     

Voltammetric study and electrochemical detection of hexavalent chromium at gold nanoparticle-electrodeposited indium tinoxide (ITO) electrodes in acidic media

The voltammetric behavior of hexavalent chromium species (Cr(VI)) was respectively studied at ITO, bulk Au, and Au-electrodeposited electrodes in 0.01 M NaCl aqueous solutions containing 0.01 M HCl. It was found that performance degradation of the ITO electrodes toward the reduction of Cr(VI) can be suppressed by modifying the electrode surface with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), which were formed on ITO electrodes by potential-sweeping or potential-step electrodeposition in a 0.01 M Na(2)SO(4) solution containing 1 mM HAuCl(4) x 3 H(2)O and 0.01 M H(2)SO(4). After the modification, the surface of ITO electrodes turned to the characteristically red or blue color exhibited by AuNPs. The gold nanoparticle-electrodeposited indium-tinoxide electrode (AuNP-ITO) demonstrates unique catalytic behavior, higher sensitivity and stability in the reduction of Cr(VI). Cr(VI) species was detected by either cyclic voltammetry or hydrodynamic amperometry. By cyclic voltammetry, the dependence of cathodic peak current on concentration was linear from 5 to 100 microM with a detection limit of 2 microM (sigma=3), and linearity was obtained from 0.5 to 50 microM by hydrodynamic amperometry where a constant potential of +0.2V (vs. Ag/AgCl) was applied and a batch-injection cell was employed. For hydrodynamic amperometry, the detection limit was 0.1 microM (sigma=3).     

The interaction of cysteine with chromium(VI) ions under UV irradiation

In 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.2), the interaction of chromium(VI) with cysteine in the presence and absence of UV irradiation was studied by cyclic voltammetry and electronic spectroscopy techniques. The reduction of Cr(VI) by cysteine takes place through the formation of Cr(VI)-thioester intermediate. On the cyclic voltammograms of cysteine and Cr(VI) mixture, the peaks at -0.315 and -0.800 V were observed, and these peaks are corresponding to the reduction of Cr(VI)-thioester and thiyl radical, respectively. In the cysteine solution exposed to UV irradiation, the formation of free cystine was observed at -0.792 V. In the cysteine and Cr(VI) mixture exposed to UV irradiation, the peak current of thiyl radical increases while the peak current of Cr(VI)-thioester reaches a maximum at 15 min and then decreases by increasing UV irradiation time. The formation of the thioester in the reaction between Cr(VI) and cysteine in aqueous media has been studied by monitoring the decrease of Cr(VI) at 370 nm. It was observed that the reaction is catalyzed by the UV irradiation of the Cr(VI) and cysteine mixture.     

The electrochemical behaviour of the altenuene mycotoxin and its acidic properties

The electrooxidation of altenuene (ALT), one of the mycotoxins of the Alternaria alternata genus, on a glassy carbon disk electrode is studied for the first time by using cyclic and square wave voltammetry. From the electrochemical responses, a complex reaction mechanism could be inferred. Values of 1.06×10⁻⁵ cm² s⁻¹, 1.116 V and 2 were determined for the diffusion coefficient, the apparent formal potential and the electron number, respectively, for the overall electrode process by convolution analysis of linear scan voltammograms. Square wave voltammetry was used to generate I_p versus c_ALT* calibration curves for this fungal metabolite. A detection limit of 4.0×10⁻⁷ M was determined for a 2:1 signal to noise ratio. The acid dissociation constant for ALT was determined from conventional UV–vis spectrophotometric measurements. Experimental variations of absorbance as a function of pH at a given wavelength were fitted by using the exact equation that describes the system. Good agreement between the experimental absorbance versus pH plots and the curves generated by the fitting process was found.     

Electroanalysis of sulfonamides by flow injection system/high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with amperometric detection using boron-doped diamond electrode

Sulfonamides (SAs) were electrochemically investigated using cyclic voltammetry at a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode. Comparison experiments were carried out using a glassy carbon electrode. The BDD electrode provided well-resolved oxidation, irreversible cyclic voltammograms and higher current signals when compared to the glassy carbon electrode. Results obtained from using the BDD electrode in a flow injection system coupled with amperometric detection were illustrated. The optimum potential from a hydrodynamic voltammogram was found to be 1100 mV versus Ag/AgCl, which was chosen for the HPLC-amperometric system. Excellent results of linear range and detection limit were obtained. This method was also used for determination of sulfonamides in egg samples. The standard solutions of 5, 10, and 15 ppm were spiked in a real sample, and percentage of recoveries was found to be between 90.0 and 107.7.     

Self electro-catalysis of hydroquinone on gold electrode in aqueous un-buffered media

Redox behavior of hydroquinone (H₂Q) in an un-buffered aqueous medium at gold electrode is reported. In multiple scanned cyclic voltammograms, appearance of a new redox couple, splitting of H₂Q oxidation peak and anodic shift of original H₂Q redox peak were observed. Comparative studies of quinone (Q) under similar conditions establish the formation of surface confined Q as an intermediate. Electro-catalysis by the electro-generated Q monolayer is proposed to be responsible for the splitting of H₂Q oxidative wave in the cyclic voltammetry.     

A Nitrite Electrochemical Sensor Based on Boron‐Doped Diamond Planar Electrochemical Microcells Modified with a Monolacunary Silicotungstate Polyoxoanion

A new boron doped diamond microcells (BDD) was modified, for rapid, selective and highly sensitive determination of nitrite, using a coating film of polyoxometalates (POMs), formed by cyclic voltammetry on the molecular p‐phenylenediamine (PPD) functionalized BDD. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique was used to examine the morphology of (PPD/SiW₁₁) modified (BDD) electrode. It was found that (SiW₁₁) layer was uniformly formed on the electrode surface. It was observed that (BDD/PPD/SiW₁₁) showed excellent electrocatalytic activities towards nitrite ion. Under the selected conditions, the anodic peak maximum at ?0.6 V was linear versus nitrite concentration in the 40 µM–4 mM range, and the detection limit obtained was 20 µM. The newly developed electrode has been successfully applied to the determination of nitrite content in real river water samples.     

Preconcentration and determination of uranyl ions on electrodes modified by tri-n-octylphosphine oxide

The application of electrodes modified by tri-n-octylphosphine oxide (TOPO) to the determination of uranium in aqueous solutions is investigated. Selective preconcentration of uranium(VI) by chemical reaction with the modifying molecule is followed by cyclic voltammetry. A hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) can be modified easily but the reproducibility of results is not good. When a TOPO-modified glassy carbon electrode is used, uranium(VI) can be preconcentrated from stirred solutions, and the cathodic voltammograms show an increase of current or a peak at about -0.75 V vs. SCE, depending on the uranium concentration of the solution. The effects of preconcentration time, pH and electrode potential during the preconcentration are discussed. The detection limit is in the 10^-9 M range for 45 min of preconcentration. The procedure is fairly selective for uranyl ions, but oxidizing agents interfere. Some tests on sea water are reported.     

Electrochemical study of Cu2O/CuO composite coating produced by annealing and electrochemical methods

The electrochemical behavior of a copper oxide electrode produced by annealing and electrochemical methods was studied in an acetonitrile solvent by means of the cyclic voltammetry method. The presence of different peaks of oxidation and reduction produced by repeating the potential scans, numerous variations in the current, and shifts of peak potentials in consecutive cycles have been justified. Voltammograms proved that various oxidation species can be produced in solid-deposited forms of Cu₂O_s and CuO_s and dissolved forms of Cu(II)_sol and Cu(I)_sol ions. The experimental results indicated that higher amounts of Cu₂O_s than CuO_s can be produced in the process of copper electrode annealing. Also, the nature of copper species is responsible for different peak currents in the cyclic voltammograms, characterized by UV–Vis and XRD spectrometric methods.

     

Electrochemistry of uranium in sodium chloroaluminate melts

The electrochemical behaviour of uranium has been studied in basic, NaCl-saturated NaAlCl₄ melts at 175°C. Solutions of UO₃ exhibit two oxidation/reduction waves (cyclic voltammetry). The first wave corresponds to the U(VI)/U(IV) redox couple and is irreversible (slow electron transfer). The second wave corresponds to the deposition and stripping of an insoluble U(III) compound (U(IV)/U(III)). Solutions of UO₂ or UCl₄ and U(IV) solutions prepared by exhaustive electrolysis of UO₃ behave identically. The cyclic voltammograms of U(IV) solutions are the same as those of UO₃, but they show additional anodic peaks. Analysis of the peak currents (cyclic voltammetry), the limiting currents (pulse polarography) and the non-linear log i-t curves (anodic controlled potential coulometry) leads to the conclusion that uranium (IV) in the basic chloroaluminate melt exists as two different species in slow equilibrium with one another, of which only one species can be oxidized to U(VI). E.m.f. measurements of U(VI)-U(IV) mixtures indicate that the electron transfer process involves the formation of an intermediate U(V) species in a disproportionation equilibrium.     

Use of a Boron-Doped Diamond Electrode for Amperometric Assay of Bromide and Iodide Ions

The electrochemical assay of bromide and iodide ions at boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA). Comparison experiments were carried out using a glassy carbon (GC) electrode. The BDD electrode exhibited well-resolved and irreversible reduction voltammograms, while the GC electrode provided only an ill-defined response. Cyclic voltammetric signals at BDD electrode for 10 mM Br⁻ and I⁻ were observed at 561 and 125 mV vs. SCE; the values shifted negatively for 228.7 and 187.5 mV, respectively, compared to those at GC electrode. It was also found that the peak current of Br⁻ and I⁻ was in direct proportion to the scan rate, which is indicative of a surface confined reduction process. Sensitive amperometric responses for Br⁻ and I⁻ were obtained covering the linear ranges 0.666 μM–1 mM and 13.3 nM–1 mM, respectively, and their detection limits were 0.53 μM and 1.67 nM, respectively, under the optimum pH and applied potential. The amperometric response was very reproducible and stable with satisfactory recovery results. __________ From Zhurnal Analiticheskoi Khimii, Vol. 60, No. 11, 2005, pp. 1193–1199. Original English Text Copyright ? 2005 by Jing Wu, Xiaoli Li, Cunxi Lei, Xumei Wu, Guoli Shen, and Rugin Yu. This article was submitted by the authors in English.     

A comparative spectroelectrochemical study of the redox electrochemistry of nitroanilines

The oxidative and reductive electrochemistry of the three isomeric nitroanilines has been studied in neutral (0.1 mol L⁻¹ KClO₄) and acidic (0.1 mol L⁻¹ HClO₄) aqueous electrolyte solutions by cyclic voltammetry and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The cyclic voltammograms recorded for o- and p-nitroanilines with a gold electrode in acidic solution, scanning toward negative potentials, revealed formation of phenylenediamine not observed in neutral solution. Similar behavior of nitroanilines and phenylenediamines was observed on gold and platinum electrodes. An oxygen–gold adsorbate stretching mode was detected between 400 and 430 cm⁻¹ in the SER-spectra of the three isomeric nitroanilines in both electrolyte solutions at positive electrode potentials, implying perpendicular adsorption via the nitro group.     

Redox Behavior of Zearalenone in Various Solvents

The redox equilibriums involving zearalenone were studied by cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry on a glassy carbon electrode. The cyclic voltammograms of zearalenone in DMSO at a glassy carbon electrode in the potential range from ?600 to 1400 mV vs. the Ag/AgCl have two oxidation peaks and a reduction one. Zaralenone concentration may be determined by DPV at +1050 mV. The method was applied to the determination of zearalenone concentration in corn, barley, and maize. Studies performed in aqueous solution or in mixed solvents water-acetonitrile containing 1 M H₂SO₄ showed that the oxidation of ZEN with an aqueous solution of Ce(IV) at room temperature, in the dark, occurs with the destruction of ZEN molecule. Studies performed in aqueous solution or in mixed solvents water-acetonitrile containing 1 M H₂SO₄ showed that the oxidation of ZEN with an aqueous solution of Ce(IV) at room temperature, in the dark, occurs with the destruction of ZEN molecule.     

Electrochemistry of electropolymerized tetra (p-aminophenyl)porphyrin nickel film electrode and catalytic oxidation of acetaminophen

A polymer film of tetra(p-aminophenyl) porphyrin nickel was obtained at a glassy carbon electrode by a cyclic voltammetric method. Cyclic voltammograms of the film electrode exhibited two stable redox waves with anodic peak potential at 0.43V and cathodic peak potential at 0.30 V in 0.5M NaOH aqueous solution. The electrocatalytic characteristics of the film electrode were studied by cyclic voltammetry, a. c. impedance analysis and other methods. The oxidation peak current increased linearly with the addition of acetaminophen to the aqueous NaOH medium in the range 1 × 10^–6–2 × 10^–4 M acetaminophen. The performance of the electrode was verified by the determination of acetaminophen in a paracetamol preparation.     

Graphene Quantum Dots Incorporated into β-cyclodextrin: a Novel Polymeric Nanocomposite for Non-Enzymatic Sensing of L-Tyrosine at Physiological pH

Graphene quantum dot-β-cyclodextrin modified glassy carbon electrode was used as a new nanosensor for determination of L-tyrosine (L-Tyr). It was found that graphene quantum dot-β-cyclodextrin has been stably electrodeposited on glassy carbon electrode modified by simple technique. The cyclic voltammograms of the modified electrode in an aqueous solution displayed a pair of well-defined, stable and irreversible reductive/oxidation redox systems. The apparent electron transfer rate constant (k_s) and transfer coefficient (α) determined by cyclic voltammetry were approximately equal to 8.0 s^–1 and 0.7, respectively. The modified electrode showed excellent catalytic activity towards the oxidation of L-Tyr at positive potential in buffer solution. The nanosensor also displayed fast response time, high sensitivity, low detection limit and a remarkably positive potential oxidation of L-Tyr that decreased the effect of interferences in analysis.     

Electroless Deposition of Thionin onto Glassy Carbon Electrode Modified with Single Wall and Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes: Improvement of the Electrochemical Reversibility and Stability

A simple procedure was developed to prepare a glassy carbon electrode modified with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and thionin. Abrasive immobilization of CNTs on a GC electrode was achieved by gently rubbing the electrode surface on a filter paper supporting carbon nanotubes, then immersing the GC/CNTs‐modified electrode into a thionin solution (electroless deposition) for a short period of time (5–50 s for MWCNTs and 5–120 s for SWCNTs ). Cyclic voltammograms of the resulting modified electrode show stable and a well defined redox couple with surface confined characteristic at wide pH range 2–12. The electrochemical reversibility and stability of modified electrode prepared with incorporation of thionin into CNTs film was compared with usual methods for attachment of thionin to electrode surfaces such as electropolymerization and adsorption on the surface of preanodized electrodes. The formal potential of redox couple (E°′) shifts linearly toward the negative direction with increasing solution pH. The surface coverage of thionin immobilized on CNTs glassy carbon electrode was approximately 1.95×10^?10 mol cm^?2 and 3.2×10^?10 mol cm^?2 for MWCNTs and SWCNTs, respectively. The transfer coefficient (α) was calculated to be 0.3 and 0.35 and heterogeneous electron transfer rate constants (K_s) were 65 s^?1 and 55 s^?1 for MWCNTs/thionin and SWCNTs/thionin‐modified GC electrodes, respectively. The results clearly show a great facilitation of the electron transfer between thionin and CNTs adsorbed on the electrode surface. Excellent electrochemical reversibility of redox couple, high stability, technically simple and possibility of preparation at short period of time are of great advantages of this procedure for modification of electrodes.