Interaction of Pb and Cd during anodic stripping voltammetric analysis at boron-doped diamond electrodes

Highly boron-doped diamond (BDD) films were utilized for simultaneous electrochemical measurement of micromolar-level concentrations of Pb and Cd, and for the examination of their interactions. Differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) was used for this detection. This approach can help to understand the possible detection of trace metals at BDD electrodes without the aid of mercury. These metals were found to strip at their characteristic potentials, in solutions containing Cd or Pb alone, and in those containing these metals together. The mixed solutions (concentration range: 1-5 μM) yielded well-separated stripping peaks for Pb and Cd and the differential stripping peak currents for the respective metals increased linearly with increasing metal concentration. There were mutual interferences due to Pb-Cd interactions, but these can be taken into account with the aid of three-dimensional calibration plots. A model has been developed to help explain the Pb-Cd interactions.     

Anodic stripping voltammetry of zinc at boron-doped diamond electrodes in ammonia buffer solution

This paper describes the deposition of zinc(II) with anodic stripping voltammetry on the boron-doped diamond electrode. We illustrate the dependency of several parameters on the magnitude of the oxidation peak and try to optimize the method. The supporting electrolyte was found to influence the oxidation peak magnitude. Compared with acetic acid, the most frequently used supporting electrolyte, ammonia buffer solution leads to a four times higher signal. We assume that the formation of zinc complexes, primarily tetraaminezinc(II), are responsible for the better response. Further factors studied and assessed include buffer pH, buffer concentration, deposition potential, deposition time and scan rate. With the improved conditions, a final detection limit of 5 ppb was accomplished.     

Electrochemical incineration of chloromethylphenoxy herbicides in acid medium by anodic oxidation with boron-doped diamond electrode

The electrochemical degradation of saturated solutions of herbicides 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid, 2-(4-chlorophenoxy)-2-methylpropionic acid and 2-(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)propionic acid in 1 M HClO₄ on a boron-doped diamond (BDD) thin film anode has been studied by chronoamperometry, cyclic voltammetry and bulk electrolysis. At low anodic potentials polymeric products are formed causing the fouling and deactivation of BDD. This is reactivated at high potentials when water decomposes producing hydroxyl radical as strong oxidant of organics. Electrolyses in a batch recirculation system at constant current density ≥8 mA cm⁻² yielded overall decontamination of all saturated solution. The effect of current density and herbicide concentration on the degradation rate of each compound, the specific charge required for its total mineralization and instantaneous current efficiency have been investigated. Experimental results have been compared with those predicted by a theoretical model based on a fast anodic oxidation of initial herbicides, showing that at 30 mA cm⁻² their degradation processes are completely controlled by mass transfer. Kinetic analysis of the change of herbicide concentration with time during electrolysis, determined by high-performance liquid chromatography, revealed that all compounds follow a pseudo first-order reaction. Aromatic intermediates and generated carboxylic acids have been identified using this technique and a general pathway for the electrochemical incineration of all herbicides on BDD is proposed.     

铋膜玻碳电极阳极溶出伏安法测定异烟肼的研究

研究了异烟肼在铋膜玻碳电极上的电化学行为检测方法。在0.1mol/L pH=4.5的HAc—NaAc缓冲溶液的底液中,通过富集,用铋膜玻碳电极进行阳极溶出伏安法测定异烟肼。异烟肼的阳极峰电位为-1.02V(vs.SCE),峰电流与异烟肼的浓度在1.6×10~(-7)～8.0×10~(-5)mol/L范围内呈良好的线性关系。该方法的检出下限为8.0×10~(-8)mol/L。对异烟肼含量用本法进行了测定,获得了满意的结果。本方法的优点是成本低,操作方便,重现性好以及检测下限低。     

Electrochemical studies of ganciclovir at boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond electrodes

The electrochemical oxidation of ganciclovir was investigated at boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (BDND) electrodes by the use of cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. The optimization of the experimental variables including supporting electrolyte and pH value was studied, and the 0.04-M Britton-Robinson buffer solution (pH 2.5) was selected. The relationship of the oxidation peak potential to scan rate and pH value was also investigated, and 2 electron transfer and 2 proton participation for the oxidation process of ganciclovir at BDND electrode were obtained. Compared with boron-doped microcrystalline diamond and glassy carbon electrodes, the BDND electrode demonstrated the wider linear range of 0.5-350 μM, lower limit of detection of 0.2 μM, and higher reproducibility and stability for the determination of ganciclovir under the optimum conditions. For the analysis of ganciclovir in human serum at the BDND electrodes, precision and accuracy were checked by recovery experiments.     

Enhanced electrochemical response in oxidative differential pulse voltammetry of dopamine in the presence of ascorbic acid at carboxyl-terminated boron-doped diamond electrodes

The differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) peak for dopamine (DA) oxidation was found to be highly amplified by the addition of ascorbic acid (AA) when carboxyl-terminated boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes were used as the working electrode. The DP voltammogram for a solution containing DA and AA obtained using a 4-pentenoic acid-modified BDD (4PA-BDD) electrode showed well-separated oxidation peaks for DA and AA at 0.4 and 0.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl, respectively. In addition, as the DA concentration increased at constant AA concentration, a simultaneous increase in the DA peak current density and decrease in the AA peak current density were observed. The slope of the calibration curve for the [DA] range of 1-10 μM in the presence of AA (500 μM) was seven times larger than that obtained in the absence of AA. Such an enhancement was found to be more efficient at 4PA-BDD than at oxidized-BDD, partly due to simple electrostatic effects and partly due to suppression of the polymerization of DA oxidation products by the terminal carboxyl groups. The enhanced detection method using a carboxyl-terminated BDD electrode should be an effective analytical tool, especially for determining low concentrations of DA in the presence of high concentrations of AA.     

Polymerisation occurrence in the anodic oxidation of phosphite on a boron-doped diamond electrode

The electrogeneration of polymeric phosphorus compounds during the anodic oxidation of aqueous solutions of phosphites on a boron-doped diamond electrode has been studied. Although the main oxidation product is orthophosphate, the results indicate the simultaneous generation of short-chain and cyclic compounds containing two and three phosphorus atoms whose evolution has been followed by ion chromatography.The effect on the reaction yield of several operative parameters such as current density, pH, temperature and initial phosphite concentration has been investigated.Consistently with the data presented, a new process for the generation of polymeric phosphates is obtained.     

Graphite-epoxy composite as an alternative material to design mercury free working electrodes for stripping voltammetry

The use of graphite-epoxy composite electrodes (GECE) as an alternative to mercury or modified electrodes for stripping voltammetry is presented. The effect of preconcentration time on the peak current was studied. It is shown, unlike traditional mercury electrodes, that the accumulation of lead using GECE does not yield a saturation current even at high preconcentration times of 30 min. A preconcentration time of 1 min was chosen as a compromise between analysis time and sensitivity. The peak current was increased by decreasing pH, the pH range 1-2 being the most sensitive. Concentrations as low as 1 ppb for lead and copper and 10 ppb for cadmium in standard solutions have been detected. Both analytical results and SEM characterisation confirm the behaviour of GECE as a complex microelectrode array at a rough surface.     

Electrochemical destruction of chlorophenoxy herbicides by anodic oxidation and electro-Fenton using a boron-doped diamond electrode

The degradation of herbicides 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (4-CPA), 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA), 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) in aqueous medium of pH 3.0 has been comparatively studied by anodic oxidation and electro-Fenton using a boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode. All solutions are totally mineralized by electro-Fenton, even at low current, being the process more efficient with 1 mM Fe²⁺ as catalyst. This is due to the production of large amounts of oxidant hydroxyl radical (OH) on the BDD surface by water oxidation and from Fenton’s reaction between added Fe²⁺ and H₂O₂ electrogenerated at the O₂-diffusion cathode. The herbicide solutions are also completely depolluted by anodic oxidation. Although a quicker degradation is found at the first stages of electro-Fenton, similar times are required for achieving overall mineralization in both methods. The decay kinetics of all herbicides always follows a pseudo first-order reaction. Reversed-phase chromatography allows detecting 4-chlorophenol, 4-chloro-o-cresol, 2,4-dichlorophenol and 2,4,5-trichlorophenol as primary aromatic intermediates of 4-CPA, MCPA, 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T, respectively. Dechlorination of these products gives Cl⁻, which is slowly oxidized on BDD. Ion-exclusion chromatography reveals the presence of persistent oxalic acid in electro-Fenton by formation of Fe³⁺-oxalato complexes, which are slowly destroyed by OH adsorbed on BDD. In anodic oxidation, oxalic acid is mineralized practically at the same rate as generated.     

阳极溶出伏安法同时测定海水中铜、铅、镉、锌

采用微分脉冲阳极溶出伏安法同时测定了海水中Cu、Pb、Cd、Zn4种痕量元素,在选定最佳实验条件下,通过标准加入法对海水的Cu、Pb、Cd、Zn进行分析,其相对标准偏差分别为5.6%、4.6%、1.80%、1.98%,而回收率分别为98.0%～105.6%、95.3%～106.5%、90.0%～107.4%和90.8%～103.5%,测定结果令人满意。     

AC impedance studies of anodically treated polycrystalline and homoepitaxial boron-doped diamond electrodes

The electrochemical properties of several types of diamond electrodes, including polycrystalline and homoepitaxial films, that underwent anodic treatment were examined with the electrochemical impedance spectroscopic (EIS) technique, as well as with capacitance-potential measurements. From an analysis of the impedance behavior, it was found that an additional capacitance element, which is apparent in the relatively high-frequency range (100-1000 Hz), was generated on the polycrystalline and (1 0 0) homoepitaxial diamond electrodes after anodic treatment. This capacitive element can be characterized as being non-Faradaic, because it has negligible dependence on the applied potential. Acceptor densities and depth profiles were calculated from the Mott-Schottky plots, and the acceptor densities in the near-surface region of the anodically treated surfaces were found to be extremely low. These results indicate that passive layers were generated on the diamond surfaces by the anodic treatment. The capacitance-potential behavior was also consistent with a model consisting of a semiconductor with a passive surface film. The passive film is proposed to arise as a result of the removal of hydrogen acting as an acceptor in the subsurface region, leaving hydrogen that is paired essentially quantitatively with the boron dopant, effectively neutralizing it.     

Electrochemical oxidation of benzoic acid at boron-doped diamond electrodes

The electrochemical oxidation of benzoic acid (BA) has been studied on boron-doped diamond electrodes on acid medium by cyclic voltammetry and bulk electrolysis. The results showed that in the potential region where the supporting electrolyte is stable, reactions occur, resulting in the loss of activity due to electrode fouling. Electrolysis at high anodic potentials in the region of electrolyte decomposition causes complex oxidation reactions that lead to incineration of BA. There is no indication of electrode fouling. Salicylic acid, 2,5-hydroxybenzoic acid and hydroquinone have been detected at trace level by HPLC as soluble products during the electrolysis of BA.     

Electrochemical degradation of clofibric acid in water by anodic oxidation: Comparative study with platinum and boron-doped diamond electrodes

Aqueous solutions containing the metabolite clofibric acid (2-(4-chlorophenoxy)-2-methylpropionic acid) up to close to saturation in the pH range 2.0-12.0 have been degraded by anodic oxidation with Pt and boron-doped diamond (BDD) as anodes. The use of BDD leads to total mineralization in all media due to the efficient production of oxidant hydroxyl radical (OH). This procedure is then viable for the treatment of wastewaters containing this compound. The effect of pH, apparent current density, temperature and metabolite concentration on the degradation rate, consumed specific charge and mineralization current efficiency has been investigated. Comparative treatment with Pt yields poor decontamination with complete release of stable chloride ion. When BDD is used, this ion is oxidized to Cl₂. Clofibric acid is more rapidly destroyed on Pt than on BDD, indicating that it is more strongly adsorbed on the Pt surface enhancing its reaction with OH. Its decay kinetics always follows a pseudo-first-order reaction and the rate constant for each anode increases with increasing apparent current density, being practically independent of pH and metabolite concentration. Aromatic products such as 4-chlorophenol, 4-chlorocatechol, 4-chlororesorcinol, hydroquinone, p-benzoquinone and 1,2,4-benzenetriol are detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and reversed-phase chromatography. Tartronic, maleic, fumaric, formic, 2-hydroxyisobutyric, pyruvic and oxalic acids are identified as generated carboxylic acids by ion-exclusion chromatography. These acids remain stable in solution using Pt, but they are completely converted into CO₂ with BDD. A reaction pathway for clofibric acid degradation involving all these intermediates is proposed.     

Covalent modification of boron-doped diamond electrodes with an imidazolium-based ionic liquid

An ionic liquid (IL, 1-(methylcarboxylic acid)-3-octylimidazolium-bis (trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide) was covalently coupled onto a boron-doped diamond (BDD) surface through an esterification reaction. The resulting surface was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, water contact angle and electrochemical measurements. Selective electron transfer towards positively and negatively charged redox species was recorded. While the presence of Fe(CN)₆⁴⁻ could be detected on the IL-modified BDD interface, no surface-immobilized Ru(NH₃)₆³⁺ was recorded. The IL-modified BDD electrode showed in addition changes in surface wettability when immersed into aqueous solution containing different anions.     

On the performances of lead dioxide and boron-doped diamond electrodes in the anodic oxidation of simulated wastewater containing the Reactive Orange 16 dye

The performances of the Ti-Pt/β-PbO₂ and boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes in the electrooxidation of simulated wastewaters containing 85 mg L⁻¹ of the Reactive Orange 16 dye were investigated using a filter-press reactor. The electrolyses were carried out at the flow rate of 7 L min⁻¹, at different current densities (10-70 mA cm⁻²), and in the absence or presence of chloride ions (10-70 mM NaCl). In the absence of NaCl, total decolourisation of the simulated dye wastewater was attained independently of the electrode used. However, the performance of the BDD electrode was better than that of the Ti-Pt/β-PbO₂ electrode; the total decolourisations were achieved by applying only 1.0 A h L⁻¹ and 2.0 A h L⁻¹, respectively. In the presence of NaCl, with the electrogeneration of active chlorine, the times needed for total colour removal were markedly decreased; the addition of 50 mM Cl⁻ or 35 mM Cl⁻ (for Ti-Pt/β-PbO₂ or BDD, respectively) to the supporting electrolyte led to a 90% decrease of these times (at 50 mA cm⁻²). On the other hand, total mineralization of the dye in the presence of NaCl was attained only when using the BDD electrode (for 1.0 A h L⁻¹); for the Ti-Pt/β-PbO₂ electrode, a maximum mineralization of 85% was attained (for 2.0 A h L⁻¹). For total decolourisation of the simulated dye wastewater, the energy consumption per unit mass of dye oxidized was only 4.4 kWh kg⁻¹ or 1.9 kWh kg⁻¹ using the Ti-Pt/β-PbO₂ or BDD electrode, respectively. Clearly the BDD electrode proved to be the best anode for the electrooxidative degradation of the dye, either in the presence or absence of chloride ions.     

Anodic stripping voltammetric measurement of trace heavy metals at antimony film carbon paste electrode

The antimony film carbon paste electrode (SbF-CPE) was prepared in situ on the carbon paste substrate electrode as a “mercury-free” electrochemical sensor. Its aptitude for measuring some selected trace heavy metals has been demonstrated in combination with square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry in non-deaerated model solutions of 0.01 M hydrochloric acid with pH 2. Some important operational parameters, such as deposition potential, deposition time, and concentration of antimony ions were optimized, and the electroanalytical performance of the SbF-CPE was critically compared with both bismuth film carbon paste electrode (BiF-CPE) and mercury film carbon paste electrode (MF-CPE) using Cd(II) and Pb(II) as test metal ions. In comparison with BiF-CPE and MF-CPE, the SbF-CPE exhibited superior electroanalytical performance in more acidic medium (pH 2) associated with favorably low hydrogen evolution, improved stripping response for Cd(II), and moreover, stripping signals corresponding to Cd(II) and Pb(II) at the SbF-CPE were slightly narrower than those observed at bismuth and mercury counterparts. In addition, the comparison with antimony film electrode prepared at the glassy carbon substrate electrode displayed higher stripping current response recorded at the SbF-CPE. The newly developed sensor revealed highly linear behavior in the examined concentration range from 5 to 50 μg L⁻¹, with limits of detection (3σ) of 0.8 μg L⁻¹ for Cd(II), and 0.2 μg L⁻¹ for Pb(II) in connection with 120 s deposition step, offering good reproducibility of ±3.8% for Cd(II), and ±1.2% for Pb(II) (30 μg L⁻¹, n = 10). Preliminary experiments disclosed that SbF-CPE and MF-CPE exhibit comparable performance for measuring trace concentration levels of Zn(II) in acidic medium with pH 2, whereas its detection with BiF-CPE was practically impossible. Finally, the practical applicability of SbF-CPE was demonstrated via measuring Cd(II) and Pb(II) in a real water sample.     

Degradation of 4,6-dinitro-o-cresol from water by anodic oxidation with a boron-doped diamond electrode

Anodic oxidation of 4,6-dinitro-o-cresol (DNOC) has been studied in a cell of 100 ml with a boron-doped diamond anode and a graphite cathode, both of 3-cm² area. Solutions containing up to approximately 240 mg l⁻¹ of compound in the pH range 2.0-12.0 have been treated at 100, 300 and 450 mA between 15 and 50 °C. Total mineralization is always achieved due to the great amount of hydroxyl radical (OH) produced as oxidant on the anode surface. Total organic carbon is more rapidly removed in acid medium, being the optimum pH 3.0. The degradation rate increases when temperature, current and DNOC concentration increase. However, at 100 mA depollution becomes more effective from 71 mg l⁻¹ of initial pollutant. A pseudo first-order kinetics for DNOC decay is always found by reversed-phase chromatography, with a rate constant practically independent of pH, as expected if the same electroactive species is oxidized in all media. Ion-exclusion chromatography allowed the detection of oxalic acid as the ultimate carboxylic acid. The mineralization process leads to the complete release of NO₃⁻ ions from the destruction of nitroderivative intermediates. These products are oxidized simultaneously with accumulated oxalic acid up to the end of electrolyses. Comparative treatment of the same solutions with a Pt anode yields a quite poor depollution because of the generation of much lower amounts of reactive OH on its surface.     

Sensitive determination of Cd and Pb by differential pulse stripping voltammetry with in situ bismuth-modified zeolite doped carbon paste electrodes

Here we investigated the analytical performances of the bismuth-modified zeolite doped carbon paste electrode (BiF-ZDCPE) for trace Cd and Pb analysis. The characteristics of bismuth-modified electrodes were improved greatly via addition of synthetic zeolite into carbon paste. To obtain high reproducibility and sensitivity, optimum experimental conditions for bismuth deposition were studied. Voltammetric responses of the BiF-ZDCPEs prepared with different ratios of zeolite, carbon powder, and silicone, were examined under same conditions. The in situ plated (zeolite/graphite powder/silicone, 10/190/80 w/w) BiF-ZDCPEs exhibited the most sensitive response to Cd and Pb in 0.10 M acetate buffer (pH 4.5). The detection limits of the modified electrode were 0.08 μg L⁻¹ for Cd(II) and 0.10 μg L⁻¹ for Pb(II) based on three times the standard deviation of the baseline with a preconcentration time of 120 s under optimal conditions, respectively. The modified electrode showed well linear response to both Cd(II) and Pb(II) over the concentration range from 1.0 to 20.0 μg L⁻¹. The BiF-ZDCPEs were successfully applied to the determination of Cd(II) and Pb(II) in real samples, and the results were in agreement with those of atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS).     

利用超声波阳极溶出伏安法测定痕量汞

以阳极溶出伏安法研究了超声波作用下汞在金电极上的电化学行为,建立了痕量汞的超声波-阳极溶出伏安法。采用超声波增加了汞的溶出峰电流,提高了方法的灵敏度,在优化实验条件下,汞离子浓度在0～25μg/L范围内,线性方程为I=1.08c+0.27,(μg/L,R=0.998),加入标准汞溶液为6μg/L时,测量值的重复性和精确度都在5%以内。常见金属离子一般不干扰,方法简便快速。     

Preparation and reactivity of carboxylic acid-terminated boron-doped diamond electrodes

The paper reports on the formation of carboxy-terminated boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes. The carboxylic acid termination was prepared in a controlled way by reacting photochemically oxidized BDD with succinic anhydride. The resulting interface was readily employed for the linking of an amine-terminated ligand such as an osmium complex bearing an amine terminal group. The interfaces were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Contact angle measurements were used to follow the changes in surface wetting properties due to surface functionalization. The chemical reactivity of the carboxyl-terminated BDD was investigated by covalent coupling of the acid groups to an amine-terminated osmium complex.