Binary RuO2-CuO Electrodes Outperform RuO2 Electrodes in Measuring the pH in Food Samples.

Abstract

Glass electrodes are the only type of pH-sensitive electrodes currently used in the food industry. While widely used, they have several disadvantages, especially in the areas of brittleness and price. Ruthenium(IV) oxide (RuO2) pH electrodes are a well-known alternative to conventional glass electrodes, providing improved durability and lower price. Nevertheless, partial substitution of RuO2 with cupric oxide (CuO) would further lower the price and reduce the toxicity of the electrode. In this paper, we present the applicability of RuO2-CuO electrodes for pH measurement in food samples. The electrodes were fabricated by screen printing and covered with a protective Nafion membrane. In the experiments with food samples, the RuO2-CuO electrodes outperformed RuO2 electrodes in measuring the pH with an almost twofold higher rate of accurate measurements. The utilization of CuO for the fabrication of pH electrodes allowed the accurate measurement of pH in a larger variety of food samples without compromising the response time.