Electrochemical and Spectral Studies on Benzylidenerhodanine for Sensor Development for Heavy Metals in Waters

Electrochemical and spectral studies of benzylidenerhodanine (BR) were performed in order to develop new sensors for heavy metals (HMs) based on chemically modified electrodes (CMEs). CMEs were obtained by cycling and by controlled potential electrolysis at different potentials and charges. Film formation was demonstrated by recording the CV curves of CMEs in transfer solutions containing ferrocene in 0.1 M TBAP/CH3CN. BR-CMEs were used for the analysis of HMs. Samples of Cd(II), Pb(II), Cu(II), and Hg(II), each possessing concentrations between 10−7 and 10−5 M, were analyzed by using CMEs prepared in different conditions. The most intense signal was obtained for the Pb(II) ion. These BR-CMEs can be used for the analysis of Pb(II) in monitored waters. An electrochemical study was performed at different concentrations of BR in 0.1 M TBAP/CH3CN on a glassy carbon electrode by differential pulse voltammetry, cyclic voltammetry, and rotating disk electrode voltammetry. The complexation ratio in the homogeneous solution has been established by the Mollard method in acetonitrile solutions.

Polyazulene Based Materials for Heavy Metal Ions Detection. 4. Search for Conditions for Thiophen-Vinyl-Pyridine-Azulene Based CMEs Preparation

The present work is connected to the study of electrode conditioning issues for the chemically modified electrodes (CMEs) prepared based on 2,6-bis((E)-2-(thiophen-2-yl)vinyl)-4-(5-isopropyl- 3,8-dimethylazulen-1-yl) pyridine (L). L is irreversibly electrooxidized to polymers leading to L-CMEs. The recognition experiments are the final test of chosen parameters (electropolymerization potential and charge in controlled potential electrolysis (CPE), anodic limit of the overoxidation cycles (OC), number of OC, anodic limit of the equilibration cycles (EC), number of EC, pH of the buffer solutions for HMs accumulation, complexation time, potential and time of reduction). The evidence of film deposition resulted by the change of ferrocene symmetrical signal characteristics on bare electrode in ferrocene solution was the simplest way to prove the formation of L-CMEs. However, finding the best electrode equilibration conditions turned out to be a source of increasing the analytical performance for the CMEs, especially those dedicated to the detection of Pb. The paper underlines the importance of understanding the role of each varied parameter, and of carrying out a systematic study of each possible variable. Optimum conditions for Pb ions analysis, using this new thiophen-vinyl-pyridine-azulene based CMEs, have been established, in order to get the best conditions for its detection in water.

Polyazulene-Based Materials for Heavy Metal Ion Detection. 3. (E)-5-((6-t-Butyl-4,8-dimethylazulen-1-yl) diazenyl)-1H-tetrazole-Based Modified Electrodes

A recently synthesized azulene-tetrazole molecular receptor is proposed in this paper to continue the series of azulene substituted compounds that have been developed to build polyazulene-based materials for heavy metal (HM) ion detection. This study focuses on characterization of (E)-5-((6-t-butyl-4,8-dimethylazulen-1-yl) diazenyl)-1H-tetrazole (L) by electrochemical techniques in view of its use for designing electrochemical sensors for HM ion complexation. The character of redox processes was proved by cyclic, differential pulse, and rotating disk electrode voltammetry. An in-depth thermodynamic study of the complexation properties of the free ligand with Pb(II) and Cd(II) from aqueous solutions was performed, and the stoichiometry and stability constant values were determined. Chemically modified electrodes (CMEs) based on L (L-CMEs) prepared by controlled potential electrolysis (CPE) at different applied potentials and charges were characterized by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Their surface morphology was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The complexing properties of L-CMEs were investigated towards the detection of HM ions by anodic stripping and compared to the stability constants of the complexes in solution. Voltametric curves showed well-defined peaks for Pb (II), Cd (II), Cu (II) and Hg (II), but the responses differ from each other and vary depending on the ion concentrations in the accumulation solutions. The best results were obtained for Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions. The results obtained for Pb(II) are promising and can be used for its analysis in water solutions (detection limit of about 10−9 M).