Determining trace concentrations of copper in water by cathodic film stripping voltammetry with adsorptive collection

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984 · Anal. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00032718408065362· OSTI ID:6431330

van den Berg, C M.G.

Trace concentrations of copper (II) in natural water samples were determined by CSV of a film of copper-catechol complex ions adsorbed on a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE). Complexation with copper (II) is not selective for copper, but complexes with copper (II) are rather strong; additionally, the reduction potentials of various competing heavy metal ions such as lead (II) and cadmium (II) are well separated from that of copper (II). Addition of a large surplus of catechol (0.0001 to 0.001 M) further ensures that effectively 100% of all copper (II) ions is present in the catechol-complex ion form. After collection the current is measured for the reduction of copper (II) to copper (O) by CVS of the collected film using differential pulse modulation. The detection limit of the technique is below 10 to the minus 10th power M copper (II) for a collection time of 3 minutes, but the sensitivity can be further increased four-fold by collecting for 15 minutes. The sensitivity is reduced by high concentrations of competing trace metals and of surfactants. 10 references, 3 figures, 1 table.

• Research Organization: Liverpool Univ., England
• OSTI ID: 6431330
• Journal Information: Anal. Lett.; (United States), Vol. 17:A19
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
COPPER
MEASURING METHODS
WATER
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CADMIUM
ELECTRODES
LEAD
MERCURY
PYROCATECHOL
VOLTAMETRY
AROMATICS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DEVELOPERS
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
METALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHENOLS
POLYPHENOLS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
520200* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)