Electromembrane extraction coupled to square wave anodic stripping voltammetry for selective preconcentration and determination of trace levels of As(III) in water samples

Abstract

In this Study for the first time, a combination of electromembrane extraction (EME) and anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) using a gold nanoparticle-modified glassy carbon electrode (AuNPs/GCE) is introduced, for selective and sensitive determination of trace As(III) in water samples. The process was based on the electrokinetic migration of As(III) ions from a donor phase (sample solution) toward an electrode with opposite charge and into an alkaline aqueous acceptor solution placed inside the lumen of a hollow fiber. The acceptor solution was then analyzed using anodic stripping voltammetry. A linear relationship was observed between the ASV peak currents and the concentration of As(III) ions over two intervals in the range of 0.5–10μg/L and 10–600μg/L. The detection limit of the proposed method was found to be 0.18μg/L using three sigma criteria and the relative standard deviations for 5 replicate measurements of three different concentration levels of As(III) were found to be within the range of 6.7–8.5%. The proposed method was finally applied to determination of As(III) in water samples with satisfactory results.