Cathode ray polarography and differential pulse polarography of the catalytic molybdenum(VI) wave

The optimum conditions of electrolyte composition and pH were studied for the cathode ray polarography (c.r.p.) of the catalytic molybdenum(VI) wave; 1–2 M potassium nitrate at pH 1.6–2.2 is optimum, the detection limit is 3 × 10^-9 M (0.3 ppb) molybdenum(VI). Equal molar concentrations of foreign electroactive substances do not interfere at the potential of the molybdenum wave and 500-fold amounts of these can be tolerated if their c.r.p. peaks are separated from the molybdenum wave by 0.1 or 0.2 V. Similar conditions were used for the differential pulse polarography of the catalytic wave. The detection limit is 2 × 10^-8 M (2 ppb). being limited in part by lead impurities which contribute to the background.