The Electrochemically Initiated Reaction of Sulfide with N,N‐Diethyl‐p‐phenylenediamine in Dimethylformamide. Part II: Implications for Sensing Strategies

The electrochemically initiated reaction of p‐phenylenediamines with sulfide in aqueous media is well documented. We now report the adaptation of this chemistry into nonaqueous media. This is critically appraised as a means of detecting sulfide. The electrochemically initiated reaction of N,N‐diethyl‐p‐phenylenediamine with sulfide is shown at both macro‐ and platinum microdisk electrodes with quantitative detection of sulfide produced by means of the enhanced currents observed upon its addition. The linear detection range for sulfide is dependent on the concentration of N,N‐diethyl‐p‐phenylenediamine present with a linear range from 28–3290 μM and a limit of detection of 22 μM achievable. This represents a large increase compared to that found previously in aqueous media and offers the prospect of more ready applications in high temperature systems.     

Electrochemical Determination of Sulfide at High Temperatures via Its Electrochemically Initiated Reaction with Diethyl‐p‐phenylenediamine in Dimethylformamide

The electrochemical oxidation of DEPD proceeds via an EC_revECE mechanism in dimethylformamide. It has been investigated at elevated temperatures up to 130 °C at both micro and macro platinum and glassy carbon electrodes. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for the reaction process have been calculated for each temperature. Further, the voltammetric response of DEPD shows enhanced limiting currents in the presence of sulfide. The analytical utility of the approach has been investigated with linear range from 50 to 850 μM sulfide concentration observed and a corresponding limit of detection of 20 μM achievable at temperatures of 70 °C.     

The Electrochemical Oxidation of N,N‐Diethyl‐p‐Phenylenediamine in DMF and Analytical Applications. Part I: Mechanistic Study

The electrochemical oxidation of N,N‐diethyl‐p‐phenylenediamine in dimethylformamide has been studied at platinum and gold microdisk electrodes of various radii between 6.7 and 66 μm. The voltammetric responses revealed two electrochemically reversible waves the second of which becomes larger at higher concentrations and bigger electrode radii. The voltammetric signals have been modelled and the electrochemical oxidation reaction is not inconsistent with an EC_revECE reaction. Kinetic parameters are reported.     

Application of a LC–MS/MS method developed for the determination of p‐phenylenediamine,N‐acetyl‐p‐phenylenediamine and N,N‐diacetyl‐p‐phenylenediamine in human urine specimens

Cases of poisoning by p‐phenylenediamine (PPD) are detected sporadically. Recently an article on the development and validation of an LC–MS/MS method for the detection of PPD and its metabolites, N‐acetyl‐p‐phenylenediamine (MAPPD) and N,N‐diacetyl‐p‐phenylenediamine (DAPPD) in blood was published. In the current study this method for detection of these compounds was validated and applied to urine samples. The analytes were extracted from urine samples with methylene chloride and ammonium hydroxide as alkaline medium. Detection was performed by LC–MS/MS using electrospray positive ionization under multiple reaction‐monitoring mode. Calibration curves were linear in the range 5–2000 ng/mL for all analytes. Intra‐ and inter‐assay imprecisions were within 1.58–9.52 and 5.43–9.45%, respectively, for PPD, MAPPD and DAPPD. Inter‐assay accuracies were within ?7.43 and 7.36 for all compounds. The lower limit of quantification was 5 ng/mL for all analytes. The method, which complies with the validation criteria, was successfully applied to the analysis of PPD, MAPPD and DAPPD in human urine samples collected from clinical and postmortem cases.     

Square‐Wave Voltammetric Determination of Paraquat at Carbon Paste Electrode Modified with Hydroxyapatite

The voltammetric behavior of paraquat was investigated at hydroxyapatite‐modified carbon paste electrode HAP‐CPE in K₂SO₄. A method was developed for the detection of the trace of this herbicide, based on their redox reaction. The reduction peaks of paraquat were observed around ?0.70 V and ?1.00 V (vs. SCE) in square‐wave voltammetry. Experimental conditions were optimized by varying the accumulation time, apatite loading and measuring solution pH. Calibration plots were linear under the optimized parameters over the herbicide's concentration range 8–200×10^?7 mol L^?1, with a detection and quantification limits about 1.5×10^?8 mol L^?1 and 6.4 10^?8 mol L^?1, respectively.     

Study of the Electrochemical Behavior and Sensitive Detection of Pesticides Using Microelectrodes Allied to Square‐Wave Voltammetry

This work describes the application of gold and carbon fiber microelectrodes allied to square‐wave voltammetry for the study of the electrochemical behavior of the organophosphorous insecticides (methyl parathion and dichlorvos) and bipyridilium herbicides (paraquat and diquat), and the development of the sensitive methodology for their analytical determinations in natural water samples. The microelectrodes were lab‐made constructed and their electrochemical behavior was characterized by measuring the electrochemical response with a solution of potassium ferricyanide. The experimental and voltammetric conditions to obtain the best analytical signal, in terms of intensities and profile of the peak voltammetric, for four pesticides were optimized and the results were used to evaluate the type of the electrochemical redox process and to appraise the number of electrons covered in each reduction process that occurred for pesticides and also, to propose a possible redox mechanism for a reduction process of pesticides at microelectrodes. Analytical curves were constructed and presented the linear relationships between the peak currents and the concentration of pesticides, for this, the detection limits for pure water (laboratory samples) for four pesticides were calculated and presented values under 15 μg L^?1, lower than maximum limit for drinking water (100 μg L^?1) permitted by Brazilian Council for groundwater, indicating that the methodology could be employed to analyze those pesticides in natural water samples.     

Square‐Wave Voltammetry: A Review on the Recent Progress

A review on the recent progress of square‐wave voltammetry is presented, covering the period of the last five years. The review addresses the new theoretical development of the technique as well as its application for mechanistic purposes, electrode kinetic measurements, biochemical and analytical applications. Besides, a few novel methodological modifications are proposed that might expand the scope and application of the technique.     

Square‐Wave Voltammetry of Electroinactive Surfactants

Under the influence of previously published and some new theoretical results, potential‐ dependent adsorption and desorption of model electroinactive surfactants Triton X‐100 (T‐X‐100 or polyethylene glycol p‐(1,1,3,3‐tetramethylbutyl)‐phenyl ether) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on the static mercury drop electrode (SMDE) were studied by square‐wave voltammetry (SWV). Although (according to the theory) the resulting current – potential curve should consist of two highly separated peaks, only desorption signal could be seen on each experimentally obtained voltammogram, most probably because of the limitations concerning the available potential range. Different properties of the recorded peak are in good agreement with the theory indicating that square‐wave voltammetry could be treated as a potential tool for tensammetric studies of electroinactive surface active substances.     

Square‐Wave Voltammetric Detection of Dopamine at a Copper‐(3‐Mercaptopropyl) Trimethoxy Silane Complex Modified Electrode

Square‐wave voltammetric detection of dopamine was studied at a copper (Cu)‐(3‐mercaptopropyl) trimethoxy silane (MPS)‐complex modified electrode (Cu‐MPS). The modification of the electrode was based on the attachment of MPS onto an electrochemically activated glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by the interaction between methoxy silane groups of MPS and surface hydroxyl groups and followed by the complexation of copper with the thiol groups of MPS. The surface of the modified electrode was further coated by a thin layer of Nafion film. The surface of the Nafion coated MPS‐Cu complex modified electrode (Nafion/Cu‐MPS) was characterized using cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectrometry. The modified electrode exhibited an excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of dopamine, which was oxidized at a reduced potential of +0.35 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) at a wider pH range. Various experimental parameters, such as the amount of copper, the pH, and the temperature were optimized. A linear calibration plot was obtained in the concentration range between 8.0×10^?8 M and 5.0×10^?6 M and the detection limit was determined to be 5.0×10^?8 M. The other common biological compounds including ascorbic acid did not interfere and the modified electrode showed an excellent specificity to the detection of dopamine. The Nafion/Cu‐MPS modified electrode can be used for about 2 months without any significant loss in sensitivity.     

Sonovoltammetric Elucidation of Electron Transfer Rates: The Oxidation of Dimethyl‐p‐phenylenediamine in Aqueous Solution

The electrochemical oxidation of dimethyl‐p‐phenylenediamine (DMPD) in aqueous solution (pH 7 phosphate buffer) has been studied under conventional hydrodynamic and microelectrode voltammetric conditions and found to undergo a two‐electron electrochemically reversible oxidation. Upon the application of ultrasound to the system an observed shoulder emerges in the oxidation wave. This effect has been attributed to the resolution of the two‐electron transfer processes occurring: the first a relatively fast electron transfer (0.1 cm s^?1) followed by a second slower (10^?3 cm s^?1) electron transfer: under the very high mass transport rates induced by insonation an overpotential develops for the second electron transfer so leading to the observed voltammetric resolution. The range of mass transport conditions accessible via sonication allows the estimation of the two rate constants reported.     

Voltammetric Behavior of Mifepristone (RU‐486) Using Square‐Wave and Adsortive Stripping‐Wave Techniques. Determination in Urine Samples

The behavior of Mifepristone (RU‐486) was studied by square‐wave technique, leading to two methods for its determination in aqueous samples and urine samples at pH 2. The application of the square‐wave (SW) without the adsorptive accumulation and stripping voltammetric (AdSV) show the maximum response at ?0.896 V using an accumulation potential of ?0.5 V. The effect of experimental parameters that affect this determination are discussed. For the stripping technique, Mifepristone proved to be more sensitive, yielding signals four times larger than those obtained by applying a square‐wave scan without the previous accumulation. The calibration plot to determine Mifepristone was linear in the range 2.4×10^?8 and 5.4×10^?7 M by stripping mode with an accumulation time t_acc of 30 s. The relative standard deviation obtained for concentration levels of Mifepristone as low as 2.0×10^?7 M with square‐wave was 1.17% (n=10) and with stripping square‐wave 2.02% (n=10) in the same day. The two proposed methods (SW and SWAdSV) were applied to the determination of Mifepristone in urine.     

Simultaneous Square‐Wave Voltammetric Determination of Paracetamol,Caffeine and Orphenadrine in Pharmaceutical Formulations Using a Cathodically Pretreated Boron‐Doped Diamond Electrode

An electroanalytical method for the simultaneous determination of paracetamol (PAR), caffeine (CAF), and orphenadrine (ORPH) using the square‐wave voltammetry (SWV) and a cathodically pretreated boron‐doped diamond electrode was developed. The method exhibits linear responses to PAR, CAF, and ORPH in the concentration ranges 5.4×10^?7–6.1×10^?5 M, 7.8×10^?7–3.5×10^?5 M, and 7.8×10^?7–3.5×10^?5 M, respectively, with detection limits of 2.3×10^?7 M, 9.6×10^?8 M, and 8.4×10^?8 M, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied in the simultaneous determination of these analytes in pharmaceutical formulations.     

Nucleophilic Addition of Thiaproline to Electrochemically Derived o‐Quinone,Application to the Sensitive Voltammetric Detection of Thiaproline

The mechanism of electrochemical behavior of catechol in the presence of thiaproline is investigated by cyclic voltammetry, controlled‐potential coulometry and spectrophotometric tracing of the reaction coordinate. The results indicate that thiaproline participate in with an ECEC mechanism in a nucleophilic (Michael) addition to o‐quinone. Effect of pH of buffer solution on reaction pathway is studied and showed that addition of thiaproline to the o‐quinone is performed only in solutions with pHs higher than 5. These results indicate that the addition of thiaproline is occurred first from amine functional group. In the second step, the addition of carboxylate group of thiaproline to C‐5 of catechol results the final product with a lactone ring in its structure. Observation of two isosbestic point in absorption spectrum during the progress of the electrolysis together with the FT‐IR results for final product can be presented as evidence for two step addition of thiaproline to catechol. Final product, due to the electron donor property of thiaproline, more easily oxidized respect to the former catechol and as a result, a new redox couple is obtained for this compound in lower potentials. The easier anodic oxidation of addition product (relative to catechol) caused to an increase in anodic current for catechol, which is proportional to the thiaproline concentration. The differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) is applied as a sensitive voltammetric method for the detection of thiaproline. A linear range from 5×10^?8 to 5×10^?6 M with a detection limit of 1×10^?8 M is resulted for thiaproline. With respect to the reversibility of the electrochemical reactions in the mechanism, and also more facile oxidation of the addition products, the square‐wave voltammetry is presented as a method with considerably more sensitivity for the detection of sub‐micromolar amounts of thiaproline. The advantageous properties of the voltammetric method for thiaproline detection lie in its excellent catalytic activity, sensitivity and simplicity.     

Electrochemical Characterization of Epigallocatechin Gallate Using Square‐Wave Voltammetry

Electrochemical oxidation of (?)‐epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the main monomer flavanol found in green tea, has been investigated over a wide pH range at a glassy‐carbon electrode using square‐wave voltammetry (SWV). Square‐wave voltammograms of (?)‐epigallocatechin (EGC) and gallic acid have been studied as well. The I–E profile of EGCG, i.e. the oxidation potentials and the current responses of the first and the second peak, is pH dependent. The oxidation of EGCG is a quasireversible process over the studied pH range, which was also confirmed by the non‐linear relationship between the peak currents and squre root of frequency. The best SWV responses for EGCG were obtained at pH 2.0, frequency of 100 Hz, step of 2 mV and amplitude of 50 mV. Under these conditions, linear responses for EGCG were obtained for concentrations from 1×10^?7 M to 1×10^?6 M, and calculated LOD and LOQ for the first oxidation peak were 6.59×10^?8 M and 2.19×10^?7 M, respectively. The proposed electroanalytical procedure was applied for the determination of EGCG content in green tea. Developed SWV methodology represents a potential analytical tool in determination of catechins in tea samples.     

Determination of Trace Manganese by Square‐Wave Stripping Voltammetry

A novel method of determining trace manganese by square‐wave stripping voltammetry with simultaneous plating mercury electrode is described in this paper. Well‐defined stripping peaks of manganese are obtained in H₃BO₄‐NaOH buffer (pH 8.0) and peak currents are in good linear relationship with manganese concentrations in two ranges: from 0.36 nM to 36 nM and from 73 nM to 909 nM. The obtained detection limit is 0.18 nM and relative standard deviation is 2.3% (n=7) under a predeposition time of 90 s. This proposed method has been used for the determination of trace manganese in real plasma samples with satisfiable results and good matching with the results of graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.     

Cathodic Stripping Voltammetry of Uracil. Experimental and Theoretical Study Under Conditions of Square‐Wave Voltammetry

The electrode mechanism of uracil at a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) is studied under cathodic stripping square‐wave voltammetric mode owing to the cathodic dissolution of a sparingly soluble compound formed between the electrode material and uracil. The experimental results can be partly explained in the light of the recent theory for cathodic stripping processes of insoluble salts under conditions of square‐wave voltammetry. It is established that the electrode reaction is complicated by attractive interactions between the deposited species of the insoluble compound. To elucidate the electrode mechanism completely a novel theoretical model is developed considering adsorption of the reacting analyte and lateral interactions between species of the insoluble compound. With the help of numerical simulations the effect of interactions is studied in detail, emphasizing the properties of the response that can be used as diagnostic criteria for recognition of the type of interaction forces. Theoretically predicted voltammetric properties agree well with the experimental results enabling clarification of the complex electrode mechanism of uracil at HMDE.     

Trace Determination of Chromium by Square‐Wave Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetry on Bismuth Film Electrodes

This works reports the use of adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) for the trace determination of chromium on a rotating‐disk bismuth‐film electrode (BFE). During the reductive accumulation step, all the chromium species in the sample were reduced to Cr(III) which was complexed with cupferron and the complex was accumulated by adsorption on the surface of a preplated BFE. The stripping step was carried out by using a square‐wave (SW) potential‐time voltammetric signal. Electrochemical cleaning of the bismuth film was employed, enabling the same bismuth film to be used for a series of measurements in the presence of dissolved oxygen. The experimental variables as well as potential interferences were investigated and the figures of merit of the method were established. Using the selected conditions, the 3σ limit of detection for chromium was 100 ng L^?1 (for 120 s of preconcentration) and the relative standard deviation was 3.6% at the 2 μg L^?1 level (n=8). Finally, the method was applied to the determination of chromium in real samples with satisfactory results.     

Square‐Wave Voltammetry of Quasi‐Reversible CE Reactions at Spherical Microelectrodes

A mathematical model for the CE mechanism in which the chemical together with the electrochemical reactions are quasi‐reversible at the surface of spherical macro and micro‐electrodes is presented for the case of square‐wave voltammetry. The analysis of voltammometric responses considers the influence of rate and equilibrium constants, together with the electrode radius, and their dependence on the square‐wave frequency (f). Both kinetics and the sphericity effect act synergistically on the electrochemical response. Also, the apparent electrode sphericity and the reversibility of the chemical as well as the electrochemical reactions are jointly affected by the variation of f. Disregarding the sphericity contribution in the calculation of kinetic parameters at a microelectrode may introduce errors even higher than one order of magnitude. The model allows the analysis of a more realistic and complex electrochemical system that requires not only the dependence of experimental responses on f, but also their fit with theoretical voltammograms, in order to provide some useful mechanistic information. Finally, concentration profiles are also studied to realize how the chemical contribution is buffering the absences of oxidized species at the electrode surface, and how those profiles are modified for the case of spherical macro and micro‐electrodes.     

Application of a Square‐Wave Potential Program for Time‐Dependent Amperometric Detection in Capillary Electrophoresis

Use of a square‐wave potential program for time‐dependent amperometric detection of analyte zones in capillary electrophoresis (CE) is described. Electrochemical detection for CE requires that the separation field be isolated from that of the electrochemical detection. This is generally done by physically separating the CE separation field from that of the detection. By applying a time variant potential program to the detection electrode, the detector current has a time dependence that can be used to help isolate the electrochemical detection current from that of the separation. When using a 20 μm inner‐diameter capillary, we find that a square‐wave potential program decreases the RMS baseline current from 4.5×10^?10 A, found with a constant potential amperometric detection, to 1.1×10^?10 A when using a square‐wave potential program. With a 75 μm inner‐diameter capillary, the improvement is even more dramatic, from 2.3×10^?9 A with amperometric detection to 2.06×10^?10 A when using a 1 Hz square‐wave potential program. When not using the time‐dependent detection with the 75 μm capillary, the analyte zones were beneath the S/N for the system and not detected. With the square‐wave potential program and time‐dependent detection, however, the analyte zones for an electrokinetic injection of 200 μM solution of 2,3‐dihydroxybenzoic acid were observed with the 75 μm inner‐diameter capillary. The improvement in the ability to discriminate the analytical signal from the background found experimentally is consistent with modeling studies.     

Determination of Rutin in Green Tea Infusions Using Square‐Wave Voltammetry with a Rigid Carbon‐Polyurethane Composite Electrode

This paper presents a comparative study on the electrochemical behavior of the flavonoid rutin on a rigid carbon‐polyurethane composite electrode and on a glassy carbon electrode. The electrochemical oxidation reaction of rutin was found to be quasireversible and affected by adsorption on the electrode surface. A square‐wave voltammetric method was developed for determination of rutin in green tea infusion samples using the RCPE electrode and data treatment by a deconvolution procedure. The detection limit achieved in buffered solutions was 7.1×10^?9 mol L^?1 using the RCPE and 1.7×10^?8 mol L^?1 using the GC electrode the average reproducibility for five determinations being 3.5%.