Voltammetric behaviour and trace determination of copper at a mercury-free screen-printed carbon electrode

Honeychurch, Kevin C.; Hawkins, Daniel M.; Hart, John P.; Cowell, David C.

Abstract

Screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs), without chemical modification, have been investigated as disposable sensors for the measurement of trace levels of Cu2+. Cyclic voltammetry was employed to elucidate the electrochemical behaviour of Cu2+ at these electrodes in a variety of 2 supporting electrolytes. For all of the electrolytes studied the anodic peaks, obtained on the reverse scans, showed that the Cu2+ had been deposited as a thin layer on the surface of the SPCE. The anodic peak of greatest magnitude was obtained in 0.1 M malonic acid. The possibility of determining Cu2+ at trace levels using this medium was examined by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV). The effect of Bi3+, Cd2+, Fe3+, Hg22+, Pb2+, Sb3+ and Zn2+ on the Cu stripping peak was examined and under the conditions employed, only Hg22+ was found to significantly effect the response gained. The sensors were evaluated by carrying out Cu2+ determinations on spiked and unspiked serum and water samples. The mean recovery was found in all cases to be > 90% and the performance characteristics indicated the method holds promise for trace Cu2+ levels by employment of Hg-free SPCEs using DPASV. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: May 24, 2002
• Deposit Date: Aug 6, 2010
• Journal: Talanta
• Print ISSN: 0039-9140
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 57
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 565-574
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0039-9140%2802%2900060-7
• Keywords: screen-printed carbon electrodes, copper, differential pulse stripping voltammetry, mercury-free
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1077952
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0039-9140(02)00060-7
• Contract Date: Nov 15, 2016