Trace determination of vanadium(V) using anodic adsorptive voltammetry at a glassy carbon electrode modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes

A glassy carbon electrode modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) was prepared and the determination of trace amount of vanadium(V) based on the anodic adsorptive voltammetry of the vanadium-alizarin red S (ARS) complex is described for the first time. The results show that the sensitivity and the selectivity of the method are excellent. The second derivative linear scan voltammograms of the complex were recorded using a polarographic analyzer in the range from 0 to 1,000 mV (vs. SCE). It was found that the complex can be adsorbed on the surface of the electrode, yielding a peak at about 706 mV, corresponding to the oxidation of ARS in the complex. The peak current increases linearly with the V(V) concentration in the range of 6.0 nM to ∼1.0 μM (4.0 μM ARS), 2.0 μM∼10 μM (40 μM ARS) and the detection limit (at S/N = 3) was 2.0 nM (accumulation time 120 s). The method was successfully applied to the determination of trace amounts of vanadium in water samples.