Polymeric membrane and coated graphite electrode based on newly synthesized tetraazamacrocyclic ligand for trace level determination of nickel ion in fruit juices and wine samples

Novel polymeric membrane electrode (PME) and coated graphite electrode (CGE) for nickel ion were prepared based on 2,9-(2-methoxyaniline)₂-4,11-Me₂-14]-1,4,8,11-tetraene-1,5,8,12-N₄ as a suitable neutral ionophore. The addition of lipophilic anion excluder (NaTPB) and various plasticizers viz o-nitrophenyloctylether (o-NPOE), dioctylphthalate (DOP), dibutylphthalate (DBP), 1-chloronaphthalene (CN) and tri-n-butylphosphate (TBP) have found to improve the performance of the sensors. The best performance was obtained for the membrane sensor having a composition of I:NaTPB:TBP:PVC in the ratio 6:4:100:90 (w/w; mg). The electrodes exhibit Nernstian slopes for Ni²⁺ ions over wide concentration ranges of 4.6 × 10^?7–1.0 × 10^?1 M for PME and 7.7 × 10^?8–1.0 × 10^?1 M for CGE with limits of detection of 2.7 × 10^?7 M for PME and 3.7 × 10^?8 M for CGE. The response time for PME and CGE was found to be 10 and 8 s respectively. The potentiometric responses are independent of the pH of the test solution in the pH range 3.0–8.0. The proposed electrodes revealed good selectivities over a wide variety of other cations including alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metal ions. The coated graphite electrode was used as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of nickel ion with EDTA and in direct determination in different fruit juices and wine samples.