Determination of iron(II) with chemically-modified carbon-paste electrodes

The utility of carbon-paste electrodes modified with 2,2'-bipyridyl and Nafion for the differential pulse voltammetric determination of iron(II) in aqueous medium is demonstrated. The method is based on formation of the 2,2'-bipyridyl complex of iron(II) and its accumulation by the Nafion. The differential pulse voltammetric response of the accumulated complex is used as the analytical signal. The response was evaluated with respect to carbon-paste composition, preconcentration time, pH, iron(II) concentration and other variables. A 3-min accumulation period permits measurement of iron(II) down to 10(-8)M, and a relative standard deviation of 3.8% for 2 x 10(-6)M iron(II). Rapid and convenient chemical renewal allows use of a single modified carbon-paste electrode in multiple analytical measurements over several days. The proposed procedure was applied to the determination of iron in certified standard reference materials and trace iron in natural waters.