Effects of ion association of lipophilic quaternary ammonium salts in ion-exchange and potentiometric selectivity

It has been found experimentally and substantiated theoretically that the anion-exchange selectivity in water—lipophilic quaternary ammonium salts (QAS) toluene solutions systems as well as the potentiometric selectivity of plasticized PVC membranes containing QAS, are strongly influenced by ion association. In particular, it has been demonstrated that varying the steric accessibility of QAS exchange center is a powerful tool for the selectivity control. The experimental values of the selectivity change caused by variations in the QAS exchange center steric accessibility were about 3 orders of magnitude when the single-charged ions were exchanged for the single-charged ones and more than seven orders when double-charged ions were exchanged for the single-charged. The above effects have also been observed for the potentiometric selectivity of QAS-based PVC membranes and, to some extent, for the potentiometric selectivity of the neutral anion carrier-based membranes doped by QAS to provide anion permselectivity. This fact is of immediate practical interest for the development of ISE with improved selectivity. The obtained results allow to revise the generally accepted idea of QAS as “nonselective” ion-exchangers and to suggest specific ways for controlling the ion-exchange and potentiometric selectivity using the ion association as a tool.     

A new sulfate-selective electrode and its use in analysis

The improvement of the steric accessibility of exchange centers of higher quaternary ammonium salts (QAS) by replacing several long-chain alkyl substituents at the nitrogen atom with methyl groups enhanced the selectivity of ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) based on the specified ion exchangers for the SO ₄ ^2? ion up to six orders of magnitude in the presence of singly charged anions. This can be qualitatively explained by the specific features of ion pair formation between quaternary ammonium cations and singly and doubly charged anions. The effect of the steric accessibility of the QAS exchange center on the selectivity of ISEs is partially retained in the presence of a neutral anion carrier, hexyl p-trifluoroacetylbenzoate (HTFAB), which is used for enhancing the selectivity for the sulfate ion in the presence of singly charged anions. A sulfate-selective electrode with a reasonable selectivity for practical purposes was proposed. It is based on the HTFAB-higher QAS ion pair bearing three methyl substituents at the nitrogen atom. The ISE was used in the analysis of natural water.     

An Ion-Selective Electrode for Ethylenediaminetetraacetatobismuthate(III) Anions

The main characteristics of liquid-membrane ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) based on high-molecular quaternary ammonium salts (QASs) were studied. The electrodes are reversible to the ethylenediaminetetraacetatobismuthate(III) anion. It was found that the selectivity of the ISEs to the potential-determining ion depends on the symmetry of the QAS. A mechanism of the ISE membrane response was proposed.     

Potentiometric response and mechanism of anionic recognition of heterocalixarene-based ion selective electrodes

The ion selective electrode (ISE)-based potentiometric approach is shown to be an effective means of characterizing the anion recognition sites in the molecular receptor calix[2]pyridino[2]pyrrole (CPP). In particular, potentiometric pH-measurements involving the use of experimental PVC-membranes based on CPP revealed the existence of both mono- and diprotonated forms of the receptor under readily accessible conditions. Based on these analyses, apparent surface protonation constants for this heterocalixarene were found to lie between 8.5-8.9 (pK_B1) and 3.3-3.8 (pK_B2). CPP was found to interact with targeted anionic analytes based on both coulombic and hydrogen bond interactions, as inferred from varying the kinds of ionic sites present within the membrane phase. Potentiometric selectivity studies revealed that CPP preferred “Y-shaped” anions (e.g. acetate, lactate, benzoate) over spherical anions (e.g. fluoride and chloride), fluoride over chloride within the set of spherical anions, and the ortho-isomer over the corresponding meta- and para-isomers in the case of hydroxybenzoate (salicylate and congeners). In the context of this study, the advantages of potentiometric determinations of acetylsalicylic acid using optimized PVC-membranes based on CPP relative to more conventional PVC-membrane ISEs based on traditional anion exchanger were also demonstrated.     

Bipolar reverse osmosis membrane for separating mono-and divalent ions

Bipolar reverse osmosis membranes that have both negatively and positively charged layers have been prepared to enhance the selectivity towards mono- and divalent ions in respect of both cations and anions. Positively charged layers are formed on low pressure reverse osmosis membranes having negative charge (NTR-7410 and 7450) by an adsorption method using polyethyleneimine (PEI) or a quaternary ammonium polyelectrolyte (QAP). These layers attach to the membrane's dense layer, which is made of sulfonated polyether sulfone. The selectivity of mono- and divalent ions is proven by experimental results for single electrolytes (NaCl, Na₂SO₄ and MgCl₂). Although negatively charged membranes repulse divalent anions more strongly than cations and monovalent anions, bipolar reverse osmosis membranes reject both divalent cations and divalent anions better than monovalent ions. An optimal preparation method for bipolar membranes showing selectivity towards mono- and divalent ions were developed. The bipolar membranes showed good ion selectivity for artificial sea water.     

Investigation of Protein Binding With All Solid‐State Ion‐Selective Electrodes

A potentiometric sensor for studying charge based adsorption of proteins was created using a single‐piece polyaniline‐PVC ion‐selective electrode (ISE). Three different ISEs, two for Na⁺ and one for Cl^? ion determination, were studied. The Na⁺‐ISEs consisted of a neutral calixarene‐based ionophore and one with a charged carrier dinonylnapthalenesulfonic acid (DNNSA) whereas for the Cl^? ISE, an anion exchanger tridodecylmethylammonium chloride (TDDMA⁺Cl^?), was used. The Na⁺ ISE with DNNSA as the charged carrier was successfully able to discriminate the binding of two different proteins (bovine serum albumin and lysozyme) based on their intrinsic charge.     

Novel Dicyanoargentate Polymeric Membrane Sensors for Selective Determination of Cyanide Ions

The construction and general performance characteristics of three novel potentiometric PVC membrane sensors responsive to dicyanoargentate anion are described. The sensors are based on the use of magnesium(II)‐ and iron(II)‐phthalocyanines as neutral ionophores and iron(II)‐bathophenanthroline dicyanoargentate ion‐pair complex as an ion exchanger in plasticized PVC matrices. These sensors exhibit fast, stable and near‐Nernstian response (54–59 mV/decade) for the singly charged dicyanoargentate anion over the concentration range 1×10^?2–5.8×10^?6 M. Potentiometric responses of sensors based on metal phthalocyanines and iron(II)‐bathophenanthroline are stable over the pH ranges 5–7 and 5–12, respectively. The selectivity of the sensors are fairly good over most common anions. Use of the sensors for potentiometric determination of microgram quantities of cyanide ion after conversion into dicyanoargentate anions shows an average recovery of 99.5% and a mean standard deviation of ±0.5%. Determination of cyanide ions in some exhausted electroplating bath samples gives results that compare favourably well with data obtained using the solid‐state cyanide electrode.     

Influence of Poly(3‐octylthiophene) on the Water Transport Through Methacrylic‐Acrylic Based Polymer Membranes

Accumulation of water in ion‐selective membranes, can lead to inconsistent potentiometric responses with solid‐contact ion‐selective electrode (SC‐ISE) formats, and hence it is essential to restrain their water uptake. We have used FTIR‐ATR spectroscopy to study how the water uptake is influenced by the intermixing of a poly(3‐octylthiophene) (POT) SC and a poly(methyl methacrylate):poly(n‐decyl methacrylate) (PMMA:PDMA) based polymeric membrane matrix, the only SC‐ISE system for which direct evidence was provided on the aqueous layer elimination. Numerical simulations of the FTIR‐ATR spectra of 1 or 5 wt% POT containing PMMA:PDMA membranes showed that the addition of 5 wt% POT to the membrane lowered the equilibrium water uptake, whereas the diffusion coefficients of water in the membrane were found to be less affected. Consequently, POT is beneficial for preventing the formation of detrimental water layers in the SC‐ISE structure.     

Boronic esters as ionophores for potentiometric discrimination of the cis-trans isomeric dicarboxylic acids

Boronic esters incorporated into a poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC)-supported liquid membrane electrodes have displayed an anionic ionophore properties enabling their use in the potentiometric high-throughput screening procedures. These compounds belong to the class of ligands in which the anion recognition process can be explained on the concept of Lewis type acid-base interactions. Membranes containing boronic esters showed fairly good sensitivity for maleate (cis-isomer) in comparison to fumarate anions (trans-isomer). The potentiometric selectivity coefficients of proposed electrodes proved that common anions did not interfered with the maleate anion determination. The influence of structure of the three boronic esters ionophores on generation of potentiometric signal by developed liquid membrane electrodes was shortly discussed.     

Phosphate‐Binding Characteristics and Selectivity Studies of Bifunctional Organotin Carriers

The selective recognition of the orthophosphate anion by a series of bifunctional Lewis acidic organotin compounds is investigated. The binding affinity of these carriers to anions, as measured by NMR titrations in CH₂Cl₂ obeyed the potentiometric selectivity order phosphate > sulfate > perchlorate, and provided the corresponding complex‐formation constants. More accurate calculations of these values were obtained by the segmented‐sandwich‐membrane method performed directly inside the liquid polymeric membrane. These carriers were also studied potentiometrically in polymeric liquid membranes. The results indicate that (PhBr₂Sn)₂CH₂ is 2 to 5 orders of magnitude more selective towards phosphate over other oxoanions. These results set the ground for the development of a new series of highly selective anions carriers with a wide range of possible applications.     

Hydrophobic ionic liquids in plasticized membranes of ion-selective eletctrodes

Ionic liquids with substituted imidazole, pyridine, and pyrrolidine cations and hydrophobic anions are studied as ionophores of PVC membranes of ion-selective electrodes plasticized with 2-nitrophenyloctyl ether. These membranes show a response to hydrophobic organic cations. In solutions of cationic surfactants, the slope of the electrode function is close to the theoretical one and the limit of detection does not exceed n × 10⁻⁶ M. Ion-selective electrodes for anions are developed using a trioctylmethylammonium salicylate ionic liquid. The electrode on its basis shows a stable potentiometric response to the salicylate anion in a wide range of concentrations and is characterized by good selectivity in the presence of foreign anions.     

Evaluation of Ionic Liquids Based on Amino Acid Anions for Use in Liquid‐junction Free Reference Electrodes

In this paper we report on the novel polymeric membranes for the liquid junction‐free reference electrodes. The membranes contain the ionic liquids (ILs) based on the amino acid anions, namely valine‐, leucine‐, lysine‐ and histidine‐anions, and 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium cation. Addition of the ILs, and especially of the valine‐based one, to the polymeric plasticized membranes allows significant stabilization of the electrode potential and makes it insensitive to the solution composition. A simple criterion based on the calculated lipophilicities of the cation and anion of the IL is proposed for a priori estimation of its applicability for potential stabilization. The addition of the IL as a microcomponent is found to be advantageous over plasticizing the membrane with the IL due to better potential stability, higher dissociation degree and mobility of the species. The resistance of the novel reference membranes can be tuned by addition of the lipophilic membrane electrolytes, e. g. ETH500. The applicability of the developed reference electrodes is verified in the potentiometric calibration of the indicator K⁺‐ and Ca²⁺‐selective electrodes. Implementation of the amino acid‐based ionic liquids with low environmental toxicity can make a significant contribution to the development of nature‐friendly potentiometry.     

Aluminum(III) Porphyrins as Ionophores for Fluoride Selective Polymeric Membrane Electrodes

Aluminum(III) porphyrins are examined as potential fluoride selective ionophores in polymeric membrane type ion‐selective electrodes. Membranes formulated with Al(III) tetraphenyl (TPP) or octaethyl (OEP) porphyrins are shown to exhibit enhanced potentiometric selectivity for fluoride over more lipophilic anions, including perchlorate and thiocyanate. However, such membrane electrodes display undesirable super‐Nernstian behavior, with concomitant slow response and recovery times. By employing a sterically hindered Al(III) picket fence porphyrin (PFP) complex as the membrane active species, fully reversible and Nernstian response toward fluoride is achieved. This finding suggests that the super‐Nernstian behavior observed with the nonpicket fence metalloporphyrins is due to the formation of aggregate porphyrin species (likely dimers) within the membrane phase. The steric hindrance of the PFP ligand structure eliminates such chemistry, thus leading to theoretical response slopes toward fluoride. Addition of lipophilic anionic sites into the organic membranes enhances response and selectivity, indicating that the Al(III) porphyrin ionophores function as charged carrier type ionophores. Optimized membranes formulated with Al(III)‐PFP in an o‐nitrophenyloctyl ether plasticized PVC film exhibit fast response to fluoride down to 40 μM, with very high selectivity over SCN^?, ClO₄^?, Cl^?, Br^? and NO₃^? (k^pot<10^?3 for all anions tested). With further refinements in the membrane chemistry, it is anticipated that Al(III) porphyrin‐based membrane electrodes can exhibit potentiometric fluoride response and selectivity that approaches that of the classical solid‐state LaF₃ crystal‐based fluoride sensor.     

Benzodipyrrole derivates as new ionophores for anion-selective electrodes: improving potentiometric selectivity towards divalent anions

Two open substituted benzodipyrroles were tested as hydrogen-bond-forming anion ionophores for the development of anion-selective electrodes. These compounds were incorporated in plasticized polymeric membranes with different plasticizers, using different membrane compositions to explore their response towards several anions. The electrodes constructed with membranes containing 2-nitrophenyl octyl ether and a 0.5 molar ratio ionic additive/ionophore showed pronounced anti-Hofmeister behaviour, providing a significantly enhanced response towards the divalent anions sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate and oxalate. The selected electrodes were also evaluated in terms of detection limits and selectivity. ¹H NMR experiments were carried out in an attempt to explain some aspects of the behaviour observed.     

Anion Selectivity of Tetravalent Tin Compounds in Membranes Studied by 119Sn-, 13C- and 1H-NMR

The fundamental molecular aspects of trialkyltin compounds of the type R₃SnY have been investigated in view of their applicability as ion-selective components in solvent polymeric membranes. The interaction between these compounds and anions has been studied using ¹¹⁹Sn- and ¹³C-NMR. Neutral tetracoordinated trialkyltin compounds form a negatively charged pentacoordinated complex upon interaction with Cl-ions in homogeneous organic phases as well as in membranes in contact with aqueous solutions. Although in a homogeneous phase, the electronegative substituent Y determines the complex-formation constant, it has no influence on the potentiometric anion selectivity in liquid membranes containing trialkyltin carriers R₃SnY with different Y. The observed selectivity pattern is not given by the magnitude of the stability constants in a homogeneous phase but is dictated by the prevailing association-dissociation process leading to tetracoordinated compounds which change in constitution due to varying sample composition, The results obtained from equilibrium studies of tetravalent mono tin compounds with anions in both homogeneous phase and in two-phase systems confirm the earlier hypothesis that trialkyltin compounds incorporated in solvent polymeric membranes act as electrically neutral carriers for anions.     

Potentiometric Cr(VI) selective electrode based on novel ionophore-immobilized PVC membranes

For the determination of Cr(VI) concentrations with a potentiometric ion-selective electrode (ISE), ionophore-immobilized membranes were prepared by ultraviolet (UV)-induced graft polymerization followed by chemical treatment. Novel ionophores comprising various amine structures were immobilized onto poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) matrixes, and these were examined to determine Cr(VI) selectively. Of the three ionophores examined in this study, the membranes with N,N,N,N-tetrakis(3-aminopropyl)-1,4-butanediamine (DABAm4) exhibited the highest Cr(VI) ion selectivity in both extraction and potentiometry experiments. The plasticizer in the membrane was optimized as 1.0 ml o-nitrophenyl octyl ether (NPOE)/g PVC to form diffusible channels. The potentiometric studies revealed that the performance of DABAm4-immobilized PVC was equivalent to that of mobile ionophores in supported liquid membranes (SLMs). A reproducible response of Cr(VI) was attained within a response time of 1 s in the range of 2.16 × 10⁻⁶ to 0.1 M, using the membrane prepared in this study. The selectivity for the Cr(VI) ion against the other interfering ions was compared reasonably between a solvent extraction and potentiometry. The long-term response of the Cr(VI) ISE showed slight deterioration over a continuous operation for 6 months, while the detection limit slightly decreased due to the leaching-out of the plasticizer. The ISE along with the DABAm4 immobilized membrane showed a higher Cr(VI) ion selectivity and more stable response under long-term usage than ISEs with typical SLMs.     

Polymeric optical sensors for selective and sensitive nitrite detection using cobalt(III) corrole and rhodium(III) porphyrin as ionophores

Cobalt(III) 5,10,15-tris(4-tert-butylphenyl) corrole with a triphenylphosphine axial ligand and rhodium(III) 5,10,15,20-tetra(p-tert-butylphenyl) porphyrin are incorporated into plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) films to fabricate nitrite-selective bulk optodes via absorbance measurements. The resulting films yield sensitive, fast and fully reversible response toward nitrite with significantly enhanced nitrite selectivity over other anions including lipophilic anions such as thiocyanate and perchlorate. The selectivity patterns differ greatly from the Hofmeister series based on anion lipophilicity and are consistent with selectivity obtained with potentiometric sensors based on the same ionophores. The optical nitrite sensors are shown to be useful for detecting rates of emission of nitric oxide (NO) from NO releasing polymers containing S-nitroso-N-acetyl-DL-penicillamine.     

Application of flow-injection potentiometric system for determination of total concentration of aliphatic carboxylic acids

In this work, flow-injection system with potentiometric detection was tested for determination of total carboxylic acid concentration. Detection part of the examined system consists of ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) with polymer membranes of different compositions. First electrode is based on Zr(IV)-tetraphenylporphyrin as ionophore selective towards carboxylic acid anions, the membrane of second one contains only liphophilic anion exchanger - tridodecylmethylammonium chloride. Final response of the system is a result of combination of EMF signals from both electrodes. Combination of two detectors enables significant decrease of differences between potentiometric signals induced by mixtures of studied anions of various concentrations as compared to results obtained only with metalloporphyrin-based ISE. The use of anion-exchanger based detector allows for elimination of the influence of aliphatic carboxylic acids lipophilicity.Proposed potentiometric flow-injection system was employed for determination of short-chain aliphatic carboxylic acids (so-called VFA - volatile fatty acids) in samples originating from an anaerobic digester. Results obtained for these relatively complicated samples are in good agreement with results obtained with the use of reference colorimetric method.Linear response towards carboxylic acids was observed in the concentration range of 10⁻⁴ to 10⁻² mol dm⁻³, with the slopes in the range of −110 to −150 mV dec⁻¹ (for acetate⁻ and butyrate⁻, respectively). System enables for determination of about 6 samples per hour. Life time of ISEs average about 2 months.     

Polymeric ISE for Hydrogen Sulfite Based on Bis‐Urea Calix[4]diquinones as Neutral Lipophilic Ionophores

A new PVC membrane electrode for HSO₃^? anion based on bis‐urea calix[4]diquinones I–VI as neutral ionophores is prepared. Of the various membranes prepared, the membrane based on calix[4]diquinone III exhibits a linear stable response over a wide concentration range (6.0×10^?5?1.0×10^?2) with a slope of ?51.5 mV/decade and a detection limit of 2.2×10^?6 M. With the exception of HSO₃^? anion, the remainder of the anions responds based on their hydrophobicity. The membrane revealed improved selectivity coefficients for HSO₃^? over a wide variety of other anions, and the comparable selectivity for the HSO₃^?selective membranes is iodide anion.     

Ion‐Selective Electrodes for Thiocyanate Based on the Dinuclear Zinc(II) Complex of a Bis‐N,O‐bidentate Schiff Base

An ion selective electrode based on the dinuclear complex formed by two zinc(II) ions and two molecules of the bis‐N,O‐bidentate Schiff base 2,2′‐[methylenebis(4,1‐phenylenenitrilomethylidyne)]bisphenol exhibits thiocyanate selectivity with a good discrimination of nitrite, nitrate, and azide. The selectivities of electrode membranes with various compositions indicate that this potentiometric selectivity is based on the formation of a 1 : 1 complex between the thiocyanate anion and the dinuclear ionophore. The 2 : 1 ratio of thiocyanate ions and the dinuclear ionophore that results from higher ratios of cationic sites and ionophore worsens the selectivity, suggesting that binding of a thiocyanate to both zinc(II) centers of the dinuclear ionophore is not favorable. Interestingly, the selectivity patterns of these electrodes differ radically from that of a highly sulfate selective electrode based on a compound reported previously to be the analogous mononuclear 1 : 1 complex of zinc(II) and the same Schiff base. It is suggested that the previously reported 1 : 1 complex with zinc(II) may indeed have been a polymer of the same elemental composition.