Determination of reducing sugars with a 2,4-dinitrophenolate-selective membrane electrode

A 2,4-dinitrophenolate-selective liquid-membrane electrode based on tetrapentylammonium dinitrophenolate dissolved in 2-nitrotoluene is described. The electrode exhibits rapid and near- Nernstian response to the activity of 2,4-dinitrophenolate anions in the range 3×10^?5 ?1×10^?2 M. The response is unaffected by pH in the range 7.5–12.5. The electrode has been successfully applied to the kinetic potentiometric determination of fructose, glucose and galactose at 60°C and of fructose in the presence of glucose and galactose at 30°C. The electrode can be used for the potentiometric determination of glucose and fructose after completion of the reaction with excess of 2,4-dinitrophenolate ions and of sucrose after acid hydrolysis. Mixtures of glucose, fructose and sucrose in aqueous solutions or honey samples can be determined by the proposed procedures with an average error of about 2%.