Ion-selective electrodes based on siderophores: Salicylate response of a ferrimycobactin membrane

Siderophores are compounds which transport iron across cell membranes; mycobactins are hydrophobic siderophores and were expected to be suitable for inclusion in the organic membrane phase of a liquid ion-exchange electrode responsive to iron(III) ions. In practice, no iron(III) response was obtained from mycobactin membranes (in a variety of solvents), but they did respond to salicylate ion with a sensitivity of 27–29 mV/decade over the range 2 × 10^?3–3 × 10^?2 mol l^?1 at pH 7. The effects of pH and interference by other anions are described and the possible mechanisms of the electrode are discussed. The selectivity of the electrode for salicylate is better than that of quaternary ammonium liquid ion-exchange electrodes.