Use of binary metal deposits on a cylindrical carbon-fiber microelectrode in the voltammetric determination of metal ions

The effect of binary metal deposits on a cylindrical carbon-fiber microelectrode on the determination of metals by direct and stripping voltammetry was studied. The electrolytic deposition of a binary system of copper and thallium, cadmium, lead, or mercury on the electrode in an alkaline solution resulted in the disappearance of the electroreduction peak of dissolved oxygen in the potential range from -0.8 to -1.4 V and in a decrease in the background current. Under the conditions of limited diffusion, the peak currents of Ni(II), Co(II), and Zn(II) in differential pulse voltammograms were 3–7 times higher than those calculated for a reversible electrode process under the conditions of semi-infinite diffusion. Because of this, the determination limit for metal ions in direct voltammetry was lowered to 1 X 10^-6 M. With a binary copper-thallium system, the peak current of zinc(II) reduction can be be detected in the presence of 5000-fold molar amounts of copper(II). The deposition of binary copper-lead and copper-thallium systems under the conditions of limited diffusion reduced the effect of negative interaction between the components of these systems and made possible the determination of lead(II) and thallium(I) by stripping voltammetry using additional peaks.