Eco-friendly voltammetric platform for trace metal determination using a conductive polymer sensor modified with bismuth nanoparticles generated by spark discharge

The fabrication of a low-cost eco-friendly sensor platform for the voltammetric determination of trace metals by electrochemical stripping analysis is reported. Plastic conductive electrodes were manufactured via injection moulding from polysterene reinforced with carbon fibres. The platform comprises a carbon counter electrode, a working electrode modified with bismuth nanoparticles generated by spark discharge and a reference electrode coated with AgCl. The sensor fabrication and modification procedures are simple, cost-effective and fast while the materials used are environment-friendly. The utility of the voltammetric platform is demonstrated for stripping analysis of Cd(II) and Pb(II); the limits of detection are 0.7 μg L-1 and 0.6 μg L-1, respectively (with a deposition time of 240 s) which are comparable to conventional Bi-modified sensors and are sufficient to determine the target metals in water and food samples. The scope of the analytical platform for multi-element assays and for the determination of other trace metals is discussed with representative examples. Therefore, this sustainable and economical platform holds great potential for electrochemical sensing of trace metals.

Voltammetric sensor for the monitoring of hazardous herbicide triclopyr (TCP)

The herbicide Triclopyr (TCP) is widely applied to minimize the growth of woody plants. Monitoring of TCP is of major environmental concern due to its adverse impact on aquatic organisms, soils and animals. Electrochemical behavior of TCP was investigated at C₇₀ decorated PANI modified glassy carbon sensor (PANI/C₇₀/GC). The experimental parameters, such as concentration, pH, amplitude, frequency, deposition potential were optimized. The modified sensor exhibited an excellent catalytic response towards the reduction of TCP with a well-defined reduction peak at 1.72 V. The developed sensor was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The electrochemical measurements were carried out using square wave (SWV) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The modified sensor exhibited linear calibration curve for TCP over a concentration range of 10 ngmL^-1-100 ngmL^-1 with detection limit of 1.9 ngmL^-1. The developed sensor could detect TCP efficiently without any interference from the common metabolites. The voltammetric procedure was applied successfully to real sample analysis with high sensitivity and good selectivity.

Quantification of lead in cooking utensils and vegetables using square wave anodic stripping voltammetry

A simple and sensitive voltammetric method using in-situ bismuth film modified glassy carbon electrode (BiFGE) and Nafion-coated bismuth film modified glassy carbon electrode (NC-BiFGE) were used to determine the amount of lead(II) present in locally produced (at Kombolcha, 376 km North of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) and imported cooking utensils and vegetable samples before and after cooking with the utensils. The voltammetric method was validated using standard spectroscopic method and recovery tests. The amount of lead(II) found in the locally produced utensil (6.48 mg L⁻¹) was very high compared to the imported utensil (0.007 mg L⁻¹). Moreover, a 3–5 fold increase in the amount of lead(II) was found when different vegetables were cooked with the local utensil as a result of the leaching out of the lead(II) from the cooking utensil.

A novel methionine/palladium nanoparticle modified carbon paste electrode for simultaneous determination of three antiparkinson drugs

A simple and novel method for the simultaneous determination of entacapone (EN), levodopa (LD) and carbidopa (CD) based on a methionine/palladium nanoparticle modified carbon paste electrode is described.

Simultaneous determination of ultratrace lead and cadmium by square wave stripping voltammetry with in situ depositing bismuth at Nafion-medical stone doped disposable electrode

An ultrasensitive electrochemical method for simultaneous determination of lead and cadmium was first developed using the novel bismuth-Nafion-medical stone doped disposable electrode (an improved wax-impregnated graphite electrode). Through the synergistic sensitization effect of the resulting composite material, the disposable electrode showed remarkable electrochemical responses to lead and cadmium. The oxidation of the two metals produced two well-defined and separated square wave peaks at about -0.62 V for Pb(2+) and -0.85 V for Cd(2+), respectively. The effects of the amount of medical stone, concentration of Nafion, thickness of bismuth, pH of buffer solution, deposition potential, accumulation time, voltammetric measurement and possible interferences were investigated in detail. Under the optimal conditions, the fabricated electrode exhibited linear ranges from 2.0 to 12.0 μg L(-1) with detection limit of 0.07 μg L(-1) for lead and 2.0-12.0 μg L(-1) with detection limit of 0.47 μg L(-1) for cadmium. The assay results of heavy metals in wastewater with the proposed method were in acceptable agreement with the atomic absorption spectroscopy method.

Potentiometric and voltammetric polymer lab chip sensors for determination of nitrate, pH and Cd(II) in water

Due to their toxicity to humans and animals, heavy metals and nitrate in groundwater are of particular concern. The combination of high toxicity and widespread occurrence has created a pressing need for effective monitoring and measurement of nitrate and heavy metals in soil pore water and groundwater at shallow depths. In this work, a new electrochemical sensing platform with the self-assembly nanobeads-packed (nBP) hetero columns has been developed for the pH and nitrate measurements. In addition, for on-site determination of cadmium (Cd(II)), a bismuth (Bi(III)) based polymer lab chip sensor using the square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) sensing principle has been designed, fabricated and successfully characterized. Factors affecting sensitivity and precision of the sensor, including deposition potential and deposition time, were studied. Miniaturized electrochemical lab chip sensors could be very valuable in environmental monitoring area due to their many benefits, such as greatly reduced sensing cost, sensing system portability, and ease of use.

Carbon paste electrodes in the new millennium

In this review (with 500 refs), both electrochemistry and electroanalysis with carbon paste-based electrodes, sensors, and detectors are of interest, when attention is focused on the research activities in the years of new millennium. Concerned are all important aspects of the field, from fundamental investigations with carbon paste as the electrode material, via laboratory examination of the first electrode prototypes, basic and advanced studies of various electrode processes and other phenomena, up to practical applications to the determination of inorganic ions, complexes, and molecules. The latter is presented in a series of extensive tables, offering a nearly complete survey of methods published within the period of 2001–2008. Finally, the latest trends and outstanding achievements are also outlined and future prospects given.

Adsorptive stripping voltammetric behavior of nortriptyline hydrochloride and its determination in surfactant media

The effect of adding surface active agents to electrolytes containing nortriptyline hydrochloride on the voltammetric response of a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) was studied. The current signal due to the reduction process was a function of the amount of nortriptyline hydrochloride, pH of the medium, type of the surfactant, and accumulation time at the electrode surface. Addition of Tween-20 to the nortriptyline hydrochloride containing electrolyte enhances the reduction current signal. Voltammograms of the drug with Tween-20 in Britton Robinson buffers of pH 2-11 exhibit a single well-defined reduction peak, which may be due to the reduction of -C horizontal lineC group. The reduction process was irreversible over the entire pH range, and the mechanism of reduction was postulated on the basis of controlled potential electrolysis and coulometry. Application of Tween-20 in the electrochemical determination of nortriptyline hydrochloride using square-wave voltammetry at the HMDE enhanced the detection limit of the analyte concentration from 8.24 ng/mL in the absence of surfactant to 0.92 ng/mL when present.

Disposable mercury-free cell-on-a-chip devices with integrated microfabricated electrodes for the determination of trace nickel(II) by adsorptive stripping voltammetry

This work reports the fabrication of disposable three-electrode cells with integrated sputtered metal-film electrodes. The working electrode was a bismuth-film electrode (BiFE) while the reference and counter electrodes were made of Ag and Pt, respectively. The deposition of the metal layers was carried out by sputtering of the respective metals on a silicon substrate while the exact geometry of the electrodes was defined via a metal mask placed on the substrate during the deposition process. Initially, the electrodes were characterised by cyclic voltammetry. The utility of these devices was tested for the trace determination of Ni(II) by square wave adsorptive stripping voltammetry (SWAdSV) after complexation with dimethylglyoxime (DMG). The experimental variables (the presence of oxygen, the DMG concentration, the preconcentration potential, the accumulation time and the SW parameters), as well as potential interferences, were investigated. Using the selected conditions, the 3sigma limit of detection was 100 ng L(-1) for Ni(II) (for 90 s of preconcentration) and the relative standard deviation for Ni(II) was 2.3% at the 10 microg L(-1) level (n=8). Finally, the method was applied to the determination of Ni(II) in a certified river water sample.

Electroanalytical determination of cadmium(II) and lead(II) using an in-situ bismuth film modified edge plane pyrolytic graphite electrode

A highly sensitive and simple electroanalytical methodology is presented using an in-situ bismuth film modified edge plane pyrolytic graphite electrode (BiF-EPPGE) which is exemplified with the simultaneous determination of cadmium(II) and lead(II). Square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry is utilised with the effects of several experimental variables studied. Simultaneous additions of cadmium(II) and lead(II) were investigated where two linear ranges between 0.1-100 and 0.1-300 microg/L and also detection limits of 0.062 and 0.084 microg/L were obtained, respectively. The method was then successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of cadmium(II) and lead(II) in spiked river water, where recoveries of 100.5 and 98% were obtained, respectively. This electroanalytical protocol using edge plane pyrolytic graphite electrodes is one of the simplest methodologies to date using non-mercury based electrodes and is simpler and cheaper than alternatives such as carbon nanotube electrode arrays, suggesting the use of edge plane pyrolytic graphite electrode for routine sensing.