Determination of Lead in Water by Linear Sweep Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (LSASV) at Unmodified Carbon Paste Electrode: Optimization of Operating Parameters

Ndoye Mouhamed,Kane Cheikhou,Diédhiou Moussa Bagha,Mar-Diop Codou Guèye,Gadji Elhadji Momar Rokhy,Theo Tzedakis

doi:10.4236/ajac.2018.93015

Abstract

This study presents the elaboration of a simple and cheap electrode made by carbon paste introduced into a cavity of electrode body, and used for the lead traces determination in tap water. A potentiostatic pre-electrolysis at constant voltage enables the reduction of the lead (Pb2+) and the accumulation of the metallic lead at and into the carbon paste; the reoxidation of the Pb (Linear sweep voltammetry) leads to the anodic striping peak. The effect of the main operating parameters on the shape of the peak and the magnitude of the current was examined and their optimal values were determined. Then calibration was achieved and the method was successfully applied (using all the optimized parameters) to the determination of lead in water, with a detection limit of 0.138 μg·L-1. Compared to other methods (ICP-AES for example), the proposed method offers a satisfactory detection limit of the Pb2+ (0.138 μg·L-1) because of the important specific area of the carbon paste electrode, for a significantly lower cost. Besides, there is no observed loss in the electrode answer in terms of peak current, which means that there is no any irreversible steps nor deactivation of the electrode, even after ten successive measurements; only reduction of the lead followed by the deposit oxidation was observed at the electrode.

Highlights

Lead is one of the most dangerous environmental pollutants and it has a strong chemical toxicity effect even at low concentrations, causing irreversible cognitive damage and loss of intellectual quotient (IQ) [1].Lead penetrates body through food and air
Different technics were used for trace lead analysis such as spectroscopic methods especially atomic adsorption spectroscopy [8], graphite furnace atomic adsorption spectroscopy (GF-AAS) [9], inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) [10] and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) [11]
The glassy carbon-mercury-film electrode was used [21] for the simultaneous determination of zinc, copper, lead, and cadmium in fuel ethanol by anodic stripping voltammetry; the detection limits sited were in the range 10−9 - 10−8 mol∙L−1 for these metal species

Summary

Introduction

Lead is one of the most dangerous environmental pollutants and it has a strong chemical toxicity effect even at low concentrations, causing irreversible cognitive damage and loss of intellectual quotient (IQ) [1].Lead penetrates body through food and air. Different technics were used for trace lead analysis such as spectroscopic methods especially atomic adsorption spectroscopy [8], graphite furnace atomic adsorption spectroscopy (GF-AAS) [9], inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) [10] and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) [11]. The glassy carbon-mercury-film electrode was used [21] for the simultaneous determination of zinc, copper, lead, and cadmium in fuel ethanol by anodic stripping voltammetry; the detection limits sited were in the range 10−9 - 10−8 mol∙L−1 for these metal species. The bismuth alone (bismuth bulk electrode [26], or a bismuth film [27]) or modified by carbon nanotubes [28], was used for titration (by anodic stripping voltammetries) of mixtures of lead, cadmium, zinc, or indium; low detection limits (~1 μg/L) seems to be achieved

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion