Potentiometry at trace levels in confined samples: ion-selective electrodes with subfemtomole detection limits

We explore here for the first time the direct potentiometric detectability of calcium, lead, and silver ions in amounts on the order of 300 attomoles at 100 picomolar concentrations without any preconcentration, analyte recycling, or electrocatalytic signal enhancement. The results presented here place zero-current potentiometry among the most sensitive electrochemical methods available.