A new ion-selective electrode based on aluminium tungstate for Fe(III) determination in rock sample, pharmaceutical sample and water sample

Abstract

An inorganic cation exchanger, aluminum tungstate (AT), has been synthesized by adding 0·1 M sodium tungstate gradually into 0·1 M aluminium nitrate at pH 1·2 with continuous stirring. The ion exchange capacity for Na+ ion and distribution coefficients of various metal ions was determined on the column of aluminium tungstate. The distribution studies of various metal ions showed the selectivity of Fe(III) ions by this cation exchange material. So, a Fe(III) ion-selective membrane electrode was prepared by using this cation exchange material as an electroactive material. The effect of plasticizers viz. dibutyl phthalate (DBP), dioctylphthalate (DOP), di-(butyl) butyl phosphate (DBBP) and tris-(2-ethylhexylphosphate) (TEHP), has also been studied on the performance of membrane sensor. It was observed that the membrane containing the composition AT: PVC: DBP in the ratio 2: 20: 15 displayed a useful analytical response with excellent reproducibility, low detection limit, wide working pH range (1–3·5), quick response time (15 s) and applicability over a wide concentration range of Fe(III) ions from 1 × 10−7 M to 1 × 10−1 M with a slope of 20 ± 1 mV per decade. The selectivity coefficients were determined by the mixed solution method and revealed that the electrode was selective for Fe(III) ions in the presence of interfering ions. The electrode was used for atleast 5 months without any considerable divergence in response characteristics. The constructed sensor was used as indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of Fe(III) ions against EDTA and Fe(III) determination in rock sample, pharmaceutical sample and water sample. The results are found to be in good agreement with those obtained by using conventional methods.