Effects of surfactants in differential pulse polarography

Differential pulse polarograms of surfactants exhibit tensammetric peaks at the adsorption and desorption potentials of the surfactant. In the potential range where adsorption occurs the base current is depressed. The heights of the tensammetric peaks are nonlinear functions of the bulk concentration of the surfactant. Differential pulse polarograms of reducible substances are greatly affected by the presence of surfactants, the effect being similar to that observed in a.c. polarography. Surfactants with the same charge as the depolarizer act as electrochemical masking agents, whereas peak currents may be enhanced by oppositely charged surfactants.