Application of a copper-based mercury film electrode in cathodic stripping voltammetry

The utility of a copper-based mercury film electrode (MFE) in cathodic stripping voltammetry (c.s.v.) is tested by comparing the cyclic and stripping voltammograms obtained with this electrode for thiocyanate, tryptophane, cysteine and benzotriazole against those obtained with the hanging copper-amalgam drop electrode (HCADE) and the HMDE. The cathodic stripping peaks obtained at the copper-based MFE and the HCADE are usually narrower and higher and are located at more negative potentials than the peaks obtained at the HMDE. Lower detection limits and better separations of adjacent peaks are thus achieved, and useful peaks can be separated from the mercury waves obtained with the conventional HMDE. The advantage of the copper-based MFE over the HCADE is its simplicity of preparation and maintenance. Thiocyanate, tryptophane, cysteine and benzotriazole can be determined at the copper-based MFE by c.s.v. with detection limits of 1 × 10^?8, 1 × 10^?8, 5 × 10^?8 mol dm^?3, respectively.