Selective determination of silver in solution by adsorption on a piezoelectric quartz crystal

Electrodeposition of metal ions on the crystal is eliminated by using a specially constructed transistorized oscillator. When tartrate, citrate, EDTA or their mixtures are present, silver adsorption occurs. The frequency change is proportional to the silver concentration in the range 2 × 10^?7?1 × 10^?5 M after adsorption for 10 min from a 1 mM EDTA/3 mM tartrate solution. No significant interferences are caused by other metal ions. On the basis of cyclic voltammetric studies, it is suggested that silver is adsorbed as a silver (I) complex.