Eccentric phenomena at liquid mercury electrode/solution interfaces: upward, downward, and circular motions

The present paper describes a visualization of unidirectional and circular motions triggered by an electrochemical redox reaction at a charged, bent, and streamed liquid electrode/liquid solution interface. The novel circular motion that induces a conversion of electrochemical energy into mechanical energy could be visualized for the first time at a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE)/dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solution interface via the electrochromic reaction of 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (BTD) by using a CCD-color video camera. The observed motions are self-insisting in nature and are tunable into upward, downward, clockwise, and anticlockwise ones by an appropriate choice of the experimental conditions. This circular motion is visualized for the first time as the cause of the well-known cyclic voltammetric anodic current oscillation at the HMDE. Several small perturbations, for example, surface tension, surface motion, bulk motion, diffusional mass transport, and surface electrochemical potential are considered to be endlessly amplified by their coupling in a cyclic chain, resulting in such macroscopic motions at the electrode/solution interface. All of the phenomena can be explained on the basis of the modern theory proposed by Aogaki et al. for the polarographic streaming maxima of the first kind.     

Determination of copper in sea water by cathodic stripping voltammetry of complexes with catechol

A reduction current is obtained when an aqueous solution of copper and catechol is subjected to differential-pulse cathodic stripping voltammetry (d.p.c.s.v.) because of the reduction of copper(II)—catechol complex ions which adsorb onto the hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE). The most likely form of the adsorbed complex ions is CuL^2?₂ (L being catechol). A.c. polarographic measurements showed that these complex ions adsorb more strongly onto the drop than free catechol ions. Monolayer adsorption density is obtained at 2.1 × 10^?10 molecules/cm², equivalent to a surface area of 78 A² complex ion, which agrees well with the molecular surface area calculated from the bond lengths. Analytically useful currents are obtained at very low metal concentrations, such as in uncontaminated sea water. The possible interference by other trace metals, major cations, and organic complexing ligands is investigated. Competition for copper ions by natural organic complexing ligands is evident at low concentrations of catechol. Analysis of the dissolved copper concentration in sea water by d.p.c.s.v. at the HMDE (at neutral pH) compares favourably with the d.p.a.s.v. technique at a rotating disk electrode (at low pH) because of the shorter collection period and greater sensitivity.     

Factors to be considered in quantitative polarography with the rotated dropping mercury electrode

The various factors which affect limiting currents at the rotated dropping mercury electrode (RDME) are reviewed. The current at the RDME in the absence of surface active substances involves maxima of the second kind, even under conditions where these maxima are not observed at the conventional dropping mercury electrode (DME). For most practical purposes, it is necessary to eliminate the maxima completely by adding a suitable surface active compound. The presence of 0.01% polyacrylamide is recommended as a maximum suppressor in all polarographic work. At a suitable speed of rotation (200 to 300 r.p.m.) the sensitivity of the RDME in the presence of a surface active substance is about ten times as great as that of the DME.Equation (3), derived in a previous paper² accounts quantitatively for the relation between limiting current in the presence of a suitable maximum suppressor on the one hand and the concentration and diffusion coefficient of electroactive species, speed of rotation, kinematic viscosity and the characteristics of the electrode (m and t) on the other. The limiting current is practically indepndent of the pressure of mercury, but varies with t^a, where a ? 0 5.For reversible reactions half-wave potentials at the RDME are of the same order of magnitude as observed at the DME. The slight difference observed in the reduction of metal ions to metal amalgams is accounted for quantitatively by the larger rate of transport of electroactive species to the RDME.The RDME is recommended for the analysis of solutions containing one or more electroactive species in concentration of less than about l0^-4N. For markedly higher concentrations the DME ib generally preferred.     

The determination of traces of thiocyanate and copper(II) ions by cathodic stripping voltammetry

Cathodic stripping methods are described for the determination of traces of thiocyanate ions down to 2 × 10^-8 mol l^-1 and Cu(II) ions down to 1 × 10^-8 mol l^-1. The method involves electrolytic accumulation of copper(I) thiocyanate on the surface of a hanging mercury drop electrode followed by stripping of the deposit during the cathodic scan. For the determination of thiocyanate, a copper amalgam electrode can be used. Examples of application of the method for the determination of traces of thiocyanate in common salts, in saliva and urine as well as for the determination of copper(II) ions in tap water are described.     

Dosage des thiols par polarographie a impulsions

The determination of thiols has been studied by pulse polarography. A single peak is obtained if the concentration is less than 10^-4 M. The electrochemical reaction involves oxidation of mercury in presence of the thiol with adsorption of the mercury thiolate on the electrode. The method is more sensitive with a negative pulse; this corresponds to reduction of the mercury thiolate formed during the drop life. The sensitivity is about 10^-7 M, i.e. 3 p.p.b. calculated as sulfur. Peak potential values are given for H₂S, nine aliphatic thiols and benzenethiol. Peak height is proportional to concentration up to about 5 · 10^-5 M. The phenomena are more complicated for concentrations higher than 10^-4 M so that the method is not then analytically useful.     

The electrocapillarity of polyacrylates

Summary The electrocapillary properties of polyacrylic acid have been studied by two methods. Exploratory measurements have been made of the effect of the polymer on the differential capacity of a mercury drop in 0.1 m sodium perchlorate. They showed that the polymer was strongly adsorbed over a wide range of potentials but that it did not appear to form a monolayer. The surface excess of polymer obtained from drop weight data showed a maximum at very low concentrations and then a decline at higher concentrations. The bulk of the work was carried out by making surface tension measurements, using a sessile mercury drop, in solutions of a fraction of polyacrylic acid (mol. wt. 7.02×10⁴) in potassium chloride at 0.01, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.5 m at 25°C.The data have been used to evaluate the surface excesses of the polymer and of the inorganic ions. The distribution of K⁺ and Cl^– in the electrical double layer and the contact adsorption of Cl^– on the mercury were very little affected by the presence of the polymer. The surface excess of polymer was always found to be greatest at low concentrations, to decrease steeply at first as the concentration was increased and then to decrease more slowly at higher concentrations.Possible explanations of this behaviour are discussed and it is concluded that the rapid decrease is a consequence of molecular weight dispersion and the stronger adsorption of high molecular weight polymer. The slow decrease in surface excess at higher concentrations may be a result of configurational changes of the polymer molecules.Surface pressure data show that, despite this decrease in the surface excess, the surface coverage reaches a high level at very low polymer concentrations and then continues to increase slowly as the concentration of polymer is increased. This apparent contradiction is due to changes in configuration of the adsorbed polymer molecules. At higher bulk concentrations the chain configurations are more compact and each adsorbed molecule makes more contacts with and so occupies a greater area of the mercury surface than at low concentrations.The conclusion is reached that the surface excess of polymer is mostly contained in a layer probably more than 1000 Å thick. It consists of a concentrated and entangled mass of polymer chains. Relatively few of these chains are in contact with the mercury at any istant. The concentration in this surface layer decreases steadily with increasing distance from the mercury surface and it merges without discontinuity into the bulk solution.With 10 figures in 22 details     

Streaming maxima in the iodine electroreduction at Hg electrodes in DMSO solutions

A current maximum was observed by d.c. polarography during the electroreduction of iodine at Hg electrodes in DMSO solutions. i?t curves during the drop life were performed to characterize the observed maxima. Changes in the cation of the supporting electrolyte do not. appreciably affect the results. The dependence of the streaming with depolarizer and supporting electrolyte concentration, as well as its independence of flux rate confirmed by linear sweep potential experiments at a hanging mercury electrode, permit us to classify the streaming under study as a positive first kind streaming. Regular current fluctuations at a certain depolarizer concentration and low supporting electrolyte concentration are also reported.     

Effect of the Formation of a Charged Intermediate on the Electroreduction of Cobalt(III) Trioxalate Complexes to Cobalt(0) Atoms

Kinetic relationships for the recharge of a cobalt(III) trioxalate complex on a mercury electrode are derived for electrode potentials of 0 to –1.5 V vs. point of zero charge (PZC) of mercury. This wide range includes high negative potentials at which the recharge of Co(C₂O₄)₃ ^3– and discharge of Co²⁺ occur simultaneously. The contribution of the reaction Co(II)/Co(0) (whose kinetic parameters are known) into the overall reduction of Co(C₂O₄)₃ ^3– to metallic cobalt is calculated. Migration fluxes of species present in solution are shown to be insignificant; hence, these can be neglected in the calculations. Relationships, which permit the determination of a partial polarization curve for the Co(III)/Co(II) recharge from the overall rate of the Co(III)/Co(0) process, are found. A quantitative evidence for the appearance of a secondary current drop at potentials near –0.7 V vs. PZC is obtained. The drop is caused by variations in the outer Helmholtz plane potential because of the commence of discharge of Co²⁺.     

Determination of nitrate in natural waters by voltammetry at a stationary mercury drop electrode

Nitrate can be determined by second-sweep cyclic voltammetry at a stationary mercury drop electrode utilizing the autocatalytic effect of the hydroxyl ions formed at the surface of the electrode during the reduction of nitrate in the presence of an excess of trivalent cations. The reduction current in the second sweep with the same drop is proportional to the nitrate concentration in the range 1–1500 μmol l^?1 in natural waters. The humic substances present in natural waters have a favourable effect on the determination of nitrate. The method is applied to the determination of nitrate in drinking and river waters.     

Electrogenerated chemiluminescence in mechanistic investigation of electroorganic reactions: Part IV. Luminescence oscillations at the falling mercury drop

In the intensity-potential curves of the electrogenerated chemiluminescence at the dropping mercury electrode spikes are observed, which are due to the reaction of excessive anion radicals A^?. at the falling mercury drop. The luminescence trace of the drop exhibits a characteristic intensity pattern. These oscillations arise from an interplay of a concentration difference of A^?. between the front and back sides or the falling drop, which is hydrodynamically caused and leads to a corresponding difference in the electrochemical potential and in the surface tension, and a surface movement of the mercury as the retroactive effect. The influence of the experimental conditions and the structural effect of the investigated cathodic luminescence systems on the oscillating behavior are studied.     

Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetric Determination of Albendazole at a Hanging Mercury Drop Electrode

ABSTRACT

Albendazole is determined by differential-pulse adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry at a hanging mercury drop electrode using the reduction peak of its copper(II) complex at ?0.28V at an accumulation potential 0.0V vs. Ag/AgCl electrode. The optimum conditions of pH, accumulation potential and accumulation time were studied. The calibration graph for the determination of albendazole was linear in the range 3.0X10^?8 - 9X10^?7M with a relative standard deviation of 2.8%. The detection limit was 1.0X10^?8M after 180s accumulation at 0.0V. The effect of common excipients and metal ions on the peak height of albendazole was studied. The presence of Cu²⁺ ions forms a stable complex with albendazole which is strongly adsorbed at the mercury electrode surface. The method was applied to the determination of the drug in commercially available dosage forms.     

Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetric Determination of Ultra Trace of Zinc and Lead with Carbidopa as Complexing Agent in Food and Water Samples

In the present work, the cathodic stripping voltammetric methodology using a hanging mercury drop electrode was described for simultaneous determination of lead and zinc in different real samples. The method is based on adsorption of metal ions on mercury electrode using carbidopa as a suitable complexing agent. The potential was scanned to the negative direction and the differential pulse stripping voltammograms were recorded. Optimal conditions were found to be: accumulation time; 70 s, accumulation potential; 50 mV versus Ag/AgCl, scan rate; 40 mV s^?1, supporting electrolyte; 0.01 M ammonia buffer at pH 8.5, and concentration of carbidopa; 8.0 μM. The relationship between the peak current versus concentration was linear over the range of 0.1–210 and 0.2–170 nM for lead and zinc, respectively. The detection limits are 0.09 and 0.15 nM for lead and zinc ions respectively. The relative standard deviations at a concentration level of 70 nM of both metal ions are found 1.08 and 1.24% for lead and zinc ions respectively.     

Examination of the role of ion size in determining double layer properties on the basis of a generalized mean spherical approximation

A new model for the diffuse double layer which accounts for the effects of ion size and solution permittivity is described. It is then used to estimate the potential drop across the diffuse layer at negative charge densities for the cases that Li⁺ and Cs⁺ are the electrolyte cations. The potential drop in the Li⁺ system is considerably smaller than that in the Cs⁺ system at 1 M, and both values are smaller than the value predicted by the Gouy–Chapman model. As the electrolyte concentration decreases these differences become smaller so that at 0.01 M, the present model predicts that the diffuse layer potential drop is approximately 90% of the Gouy–Chapman estimate. The results of the model are used to examine the differences in inner layer structure at mercury electrodes with Li⁺ and Cs⁺ ions at the outer Helmholtz plane, and to reconsider the question of the specific adsorption of Cs⁺ at negative-charge densities.     

Anodic Dissolution of Gold in Alkali–Cyanide Solutions Containing Microquantities of Mercury Ions

An admixture of mercury ions accelerates dissolution of gold at negative (in the hydrogen scale) potentials and hinders it at positive potentials. In contradistinction to a similar effect exerted by admixtures of thallium, bismuth, and lead ions, the influence of mercury ions, all other conditions being equal, manifests itself at much longer times of contact between gold and solution. This difference is due to a low rate of the act of adsorption (discharge) of mercury ions. The rate increases at more negative potentials, and at E –1.2 V (NHE) the act accelerates to such an extent that looses the limiting role, which passes to the stage of supply of mercury ions to the electrode, as with solutions containing thallium, bismuth, and lead. Comparing these results with earlier data on the adsorption of cyanide ions on gold shows that the discharge of the Hg(CN)^2- ₄ anions stops limiting the formation of a layer of mercury atoms when the adsorption of cyanide ions turns insignificant.     

Solid-phase extraction and determination of ultra trace amounts of lead,mercury and cadmium in water samples using octadecyl silica membrane disks modified with 5,5′-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) and atomic absorption spectrometry

A simple and fast method for preconcentration and determination of ultra trace amounts of lead(II), mercury(II) and cadmium(II) in water samples is presented. Lead, mercury and cadmium adsorbed quantitatively during passage of water samples (pH?=?7, flow rate?=?20 mL min^?1) through octadecyl silica membrane disks modified with 5,5′-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid). The retained lead, mercury and cadmium are then stripped from the disk with a minimal amount of 1 M hydrochloric acid solution as eluent, and determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The influence of flow rates of the eluent and sample solution, the amount of ligand, type and least amount of eluent, pH of sample, effect of other ions and breakthrough volume are determined. The breakthrough volume of the method is greater than 2000 mL for lead and greater than 1500 mL for mercury and cadmium, which results in an enrichment factor of 200 for lead and an enrichment factor of 150 for both mercury and cadmium. The limit of detection of the proposed method is 177, 2 and 13 ng l^?1 for lead, mercury and cadmium, respectively.     

On the use of sulfonated tolyl and xylyl stearic acids as polarographic maxima suppressors

Summary Sulfonated tolyl and xylyl steario acids were used as maxima suppressors in the reduction of simple and complex metal ions. It was found that these compounds can be employed as maxima suppressors for the cathodic waves of Pb²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, copper glycine complex and copper biuret complex. In the case of difficulty suppressible maxima like those of iodide-cadmium complex and Ni²⁺-Co²⁺ mixture these were found to be more effective than other maxima suppressors. The P. M. P. and M. S. P. values were calculated in presence of these ions. The P.M.P. values of STSA were found to be greater than those for SXSA. This behaviour may be attributed to greater +I effect of xylyl group.     

Determination of copper in seawater by anodic stripping voltammetry

Copper in surface seawater has been determined using both hanging mercury drop and thin film electrodes. Total copper was found to be in the range 0.4–0.7 μg l^?1, and labile copper in the range 0.2–0.4 μg l^?1. Most of the copper present in seawater is complexed with or adsorbed on organic matter, and a smaller percentage is associated with inorganic colloids. Seawater contains both organic and inorganic compounds which will react with approximately 1×10^?8M added ionic copper. Because of the presence of the complexing agents, peak current-copper concentration calibration curves in seawater are non-linear, and care must be exercised in using spiked results in the calculation of the copper content. The thin film electrode (TFE) is more suitable than the hanging mercury drop electrode for determining copper in seawater, although the TFE results are more dependent on deposition potential, and suffer from interference by nickel if very negative deposition potentials are used.     

Visualization of the interfacial turbulence associated with remarkable faradaic current amplification at a polarized water/1,2-dichloroethane interface

We report the first visualization of the interfacial turbulence developed at the polarized water/1,2-dichloroethane interface in the form of rotating surface structures. This leads to a remarkable amplification of the faradaic current (polarographic maximum) associated with the transfer of the Na⁺ ion from 1,2-dichloroethane to water. Interfacial turbulence is visualized at the surface of the sessile electrolyte drop using suspended graphite microparticles as a fluid flow tracer. We show that the magnitude of the faradaic current increases as the circular surface structures rotate more rapidly. The results appear to differ from the profile of the disturbing flow near the mercury/electrolyte interface accompanying polarographic maxima of the first kind.     

Determination of uranium(VI) in sea water by cathodic stripping voltammetry of complexes with catechol

Polarographic (d.c.) measurements showed that complex ions of uranium(VI) with catechol adsorb on the dropping mercury electrode. This effect is used to determine uranium(VI) directly in sea water. Optimal conditions include pH 6.8, 2 × 10^?3 M catechol, and a collection potential between ?0.1 and ?0.4 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) at a hanging mercury drop electrode. The cathodic scan is made with the linear-scan or differential-pulse mode (d.p.c.s.v.). The detection limit with the d.p.c.s.v, mode is 3 × 10^?10 M after a collection period of 2.5 min. Between pH 6 and 8, the peak height increases with pH and with catechol concentration up to 5 × 10^?3 M. There is linear relationship between the collection time and the measured peak height until the drop surface becomes saturated. With a collection period of 3 min, the reduction current increases linearly with the metal concentration up to about 5 × 10^?3 M U(VI). The maximum adsorption capacity of the mercury drop is 4.4 × 10^?10 mol cm²; each complex ion then occupies 0.38 nm², equivalent to the size of about one catechol molecule. Interference by high concentrations of Fe(III) is overcome by selectively adsorbing U(VI) at a collection potential near the reduction potential of Fe(III). Organic surfactants reduce the peak height for uranium by up to 75% at unnaturally high concentrations only (4 mg l^?1 Triton X-100). Competition by high concentrations of Cu(II) for space on the surface of the drop is eliminated by addition of EDTA.     

Raman spectra of stilbene negative ions in tetrahydrofuran solution

Raman spectra of stilbene mono- and di-negative ions in tetrahydrofuran solution were obtained by Ar⁺ laser exciting lines. A considerable frequency shift was observed for several vibrations in the successive steps: stilbene → (stilbene)^? → (stilbene)^2?. The observed shift is discussed in a simple VB scheme, particularly in comparison with the results on anthracene negative ions. The resonance Raman effect was striking for both ions with intensity maxima at the exciting wavelengths close to the absorption maxima.