Differential Pulse Anodic Stripping Voltammetry for Mercury Determination

Abstract

Abstact In the present work voltammetric investigations have been performed on HgCl2 aqueous solutions prepared from a Cz 9024 reagent. Carbon paste electrode (CPE), eriochrome black T modified carbon paste electrode (MCPE/EBT) and KCl 1M as background electrolyte, were involved within the experimental procedures. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) has been performed in order to compare the behaviour of the two electrodes in both K3[Fe(CN)6] and mercury calibration aqueous solution. Differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) was used to determine the most suitable parameters for mercury determination. All experiments were performed at 25 ± 1 ℃, using an electrochemical cell with three-electrodes connected to an Autolab PG STAT 302N (Metrohm-Autolab) potentiostat that is equipped with Nova 1.11 software. The measured potential values were generated by using the silver chloride electrode (AgClE) as reference and a platinum wire electrode as auxiliary. A series of time depending equations for the pre-concentration and concentration steps were established, with the observation that a higher sensitivity can be obtained while increasing the pre-concentration time. DPASV were drawn using the CPE in 11.16 % coriander, as mercury complex, the voltamograms signals indicating mercury oxidation, with signal intensity increasing in time.