A direct analysis of nanomolar metal ions in environmental water samples with Nafion-coated microelectrodes

Composites Based on Conducting Polymers and Carbon Nanomaterials for Heavy Metal Ion Sensing (Review)

Current review signifies recent trends and challenges in the development of electrochemical sensors based on organic conducting polymers (OCPs), carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and their composites for the determination of trace heavy metal ions in water are reviewed. OCPs and CNTs have some suitable properties, such as good electrical, mechanical, chemical and structural properties as well as environmental stability, etc. However, some of these materials still have significant limitations toward selective and sensitive detection of trace heavy metal ions. To overcome the limitations of these individual materials, OCPs/CNTs composites were developed. Application of OCPs/CNTs composite and their novel properties for the adsorption and detection of heavy metal ions outlined and discussed in this review.

Square wave anodic stripping voltammetry determination of eco-toxic metals in samples of biological and environmental importance

Square wave anodic stripping voltammetry was used in simultaneous determinations of eco-toxic metals (Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn) on bismuth film electrodes. The electrodes were prepared in situ on a glassy-carbon electrode (GCE) from 0.1 M acetate buffer (pH 4.5) containing 200 μg L−1 of bismuth (III), as well ex situ on electrochemically oxidized graphitized polyacrylonitrile carbon fibres from 200 mg L−1 Bi(NO3)3 in 1% HNO3 (aqueous) solution. Preparation of a Bi-modified carbon fibre electrode (CFE) was by cation exchange of Bi+3 ions for H+ of the acidic surface groups of the electro-oxidized carbon fibres, followed by electrochemical reduction to Bi0. For the Bi-GCE the linear range was 20–280 μg L−1 for zinc, 10–100 μg L−1 for lead, 10–80 μg L−1 for copper, and 5–50 μg L−1 for cadmium. For the Bi-CFE it was 20–160 μg L−1 for zinc, 10–100 μg L−1 for lead, 10–100 μg L−1 for copper, and 2–120 μg L−1 for cadmium. For both kinds of bismuth modified carbon electrodes, low limits of detection and satisfactory precision were achieved. The method was successfully applied to certified reference materials of biological (bovine liver) and environmental (mussel tissue) importance.

Quantum dot-based DNA hybridization by electrochemiluminescence and anodic stripping voltammetry

Simple and convenient assays with quantum dots (QDs) as the labels for DNA detection are developed. The probe DNA modified with thiol was first immobilized on a pretreated Au electrode, and then the complementary DNA (cDNA) oligonucleotides were hybridized with the immobilized probes by immersing the probe-modified Au electrode into the cDNA oligonucleotide solution. Finally, the avidin-modified QDs were bound to the biosensor in the presence of biotin-modified cDNA. The fabrication process for the biosensor was monitored by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Different from the traditional sandwich-structure strategy, the QDs bind to the target DNA directly via the biotin-avidin-system. By observing the ECL signal and determination of the cadmium component in QDs, the DNA hybridization event was detected by ECL and square wave anodic stripping voltammetric technique (SWASV) respectively. For SWASV detection, the signal linearly increased with the increase of the logarithm of the cDNA concentration over the range of 50 nM-5 microM. The minimum detectable concentration is 50 pM. For ECL, it showed wider linearity range over 5 nM-5 microM and lower detectable concentration of 10 pM. This indicated that the ECL assay could be comparable to the conventional electrochemical assay. Furthermore, this biosensor possesses high selectivity over different sequences of target DNA oligonucleotides.

Determination of labile trace metals with screen-printed electrode modified by a crown-ether based membrane

In this work, we have undertaken the construction of a screen-printed electrode modified by a specific membrane to protect the working surface from interferences during the analysis of trace metals by anodic stripping voltammetry. Different crown-ethers selected for their metals affinity have been incorporated into a membrane then deposed on the working surface of the electrode. Each modified electrode has been first tested in an acidified KNO3 10(-1) mol L(-1) solution (pH 2) doped by free Cd2+ and Pb2+ ions. The response and selectivity of the modified electrodes have been investigated according to different parameters: (i) the substrates (commercial ink or carbon based homemade ink), (ii) the electrode support (polystyrene or transparency film) and (iii) crown-ethers nature (dibenzo-24-crown-8 and tetrathiacyclododecane 12-crown-4). The influence of the substrate on the response of the electrode is clearly demonstrated. Homemade ink appears as the most appropriate substrate to modify the working surface of the screen-printed electrode by a crown-ether based membrane. The effect of the composition of the membrane has been shown too. The best membrane developed showed a detection limit of 0.6 x 10(-8) mol L(-1) for Cd and 0.8 x 10(-8) mol L(-1) for Pb and a quantification limit of 10(-8) mol L(-1) for Cd and 2 x 10(-8) mol L(-1) for Pb. This method, which integrates the extraction, preconcentration and measurement, was successfully applied to environmental samples without pretreatment.