Extractive liquid–liquid spectrophotometric procedure for the determination of thiocyanate ions employing the ion pair reagent amiloride monohydrochloride

An accurate, inexpensive and less laborious liquid-liquid extractive spectrophotometric procedure for the determination of thiocyanate ions in aqueous media has been developed. The method has been based upon the formation of a yellow colored complex ion associate of the ion-pairing reagent 1-(3, 5-diamino-6-chloropyrazinecarboxyl) guanidine hydrochloride monohydrate, namely amiloride hydrochloride, DPG+.Cl- and the thiocyanate ions in aqueous media containing HNO3 (0.5 mol L(-1)) and subsequent extraction with 4-methyl-2-pentanone. The absorption electronic spectrum of the ion associate showed one well-defined peak at lambda(max) 366 nm. The stoichiometric mole ratio of DPG+.Cl- to the thiocyanate ions is 1:1. The effective molar absorptivity (epsilon) of the ion associate at lambda(max) 366 nm is 1.1+/-0.1x10(4) L mol(-1) cm(-1). The extraction constants (K(d), K(ex), and beta) enabled a simple and convenient use of the developed binary ion associate for the extractive spectrophotometric determination of traces of thiocyanate ions in the aqueous media. Beer's law and Ringbom's plots are obeyed in the concentration range 0.05-10 and 0.1-7 microg mL(-1) of the thiocyanate ions, respectively with a relative standard deviation of +/-2.3%. The calculated lower limits of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ) of the developed procedure for the thiocyanate ions were found equal to 0.02 and 0.066 microg mL(-1), respectively. The developed method has been applied for the determination of trace amounts of thiocyanate ions in tap-, waste- and natural water samples and compared successfully with the reported methods at the 95% confidence level. The proposed method was also applied successfully for the determination of thiocyanate ions in saliva samples.

Determination of trace thiocyanate with nano-silver coated multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified glassy carbon electrode

Novel nano-silver coated multi-walled carbon nanotube composites were prepared and used to fabricate a modified electrode. The application of the nano-silver coated multi-walled carbon nanotube composites modified electrode for determination of trace thiocyanate is demonstrated for the first time. The influence of substrate, pH and interference of coexisting substances was investigated for response properties of the electrode. There was a linear relationship at the range 2.5 x 10(-9) to 5 x 10(-8) mol L(-1) and 5 x 10(-8) to 1 x 10(-6) mol L(-1) of thiocyanate with the decrement of anodic DPV peak currents. The limit of detection was 1 x 10(-9) mol L(-1)(S/N=3). The constructed electrode showed excellent reproducibility and stability. Actual urine and saliva samples of smoker and non-smoker were analyzed and satisfactory results were obtained. This method provides a new way to construct any electrode for biological and environmental analysis.

Potentiometric anion selectivity of polymer-membrane electrodes based on cobalt, chromium, and aluminum salens

Metallo-salens of cobalt(II) (Co-Sal), chromium(III) (Cr-Sal), and aluminum(III) (Al-Sal) are used as the active ionophores within plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) membranes. It is shown that central metal-ion plays a critical role in directing the ionophore selectivity. Polymer-membrane electrodes based on Co-Sal, Cr-Sal, and Al-Sal are demonstrated to exhibit enhanced responses and selectivity toward nitrite/thiocyanate, thiocyanate, and fluoride anions, respectively. The improved anion selectivity of the three ionophore systems is shown to deviate significantly from the classical Hofmeister pattern that is based only on ion lipophilicity. For example, optimized membrane electrodes for nitrite ion based on Co-Sal exhibit logK(Nitrite,Anion)(pot) values of -5.22, -4.66, -4.48, -2.5 towards bromide, perchlorate, nitrate, and iodide anions, respectively. Optimized membrane electrodes based on Co-Sal and Cr-Sal show near-Nernstian responses towards nitrite (-57.9+/-0.9 mV/decade) and thiocyanate (-56.9+/-0.8 mV/decade), respectively, with fast response and recovery times. In contrast, Al-Sal based membrane electrodes respond to fluoride ion in a super-Nernstian (-70+/-3 mV/decade) and nearly an irreversible mode. The operative response mechanism of Co-Sal, Cr-Sal, and Al-Sal membrane electrodes is examined using the effect of added ionic sites on the potentiometric response characteristics. It is demonstrated that addition of lipophilic anionic sites to membrane electrodes based on the utilized metallo-salens enhances the selectivity towards the primary ion, while addition of cationic sites resulted in Hofmeister selectivity patterns suggesting that the operative response mechanism is of the charged carrier type. Electron spin resonance (ESR) data indicates that Co(II) metal-ion center of Co-Sal ionophore undergoes oxidation to Co(III). This process leads to formation of a charged anion-carrier that is consistent with the response behavior obtained for Co-Sal based membrane electrodes.

A novel thiocyanate-selective electrode based on a zinc–phthalocyanine complex

A novel thiocyanate (SCN-)-selective PVC membrane electrode based on a zinc-phthalocyanine (ZnPc) complex as neutral carrier is described. The membrane electrode containing ZnPc with 5.1% (w/w) ionophore, 29.2% (w/w) PVC, and 65.7% (w/w) 2-nitrophenyl octyl ether (o-NPOE) as plasticizer displayed an anti-Hofmeister selectivity sequence, SCN- > Sal- > I- > ClO4- > Br- > Cl- > NO3- > NO2- > H2PO4- > SO4(2-)), and exhibited near-Nernstian potential response to thiocyanate ranging from about 1.0 x 10(-1) to 1.0 x 10(-6) mol L(-1) with a detection limit of 7.5 x 10(-7) mol L(-1) and a slope of 58.1+/-0.5 mV per decade in pH 3.0 phosphate buffer solution at 25 degrees C. This preferential response is believed to be associated with the unique coordination between the central metal of the carrier and thiocyanate.

Highly Selective Iodide Electrode Based on the Copper(II)-N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-1,2-bis(p-aminophenoxy)ethane Tetradentate Complex

In this paper, a new PVC-based liquid-membrane anion-selective electrode based on a copper(II) of N,N'-bis(salicylidene)-1,2-bis(p-aminophenoxy)ethane tetradentate complex (Cu(II)BBAP) is described, which displays a preferential potentiometric response to iodide ion at pH 2.0 and an anti-Hofmeister selectivity sequence: I->SCN->ClO4->NO2->H2PO4->NO3->SO4(2-)>Br->Cl-. The electrode exhibits a near-Nernstian potential linear range of 8.2x10(-7)-1.0x10(-1) M with a detection limit of 5.3x10(-7) M and a slope of -58.8 mV per decade. The A.C. impedance technique and the UV/Vis spectroscopy technique were used to analyze the response mechanism. The electrode could be applied to determine iodide in medicine analysis, and the obtained results were fairly satisfactory.