Rapid method for the determination of copper(II) and lead(II) in tap water using a portable potentiometric stripping analyser

Abstract

Tap water samples of 400 μl were added to 200 μl of matrix-modifying solution consisting of hydrochloric acid, calcium chloride, mercury(II), ethanol, Triton X-100 and bismuth(III) as internal standard and contained in disposable 2-ml Eppendorff sample tubes. The mixture was analysed for copper(II) and lead(II) using a commercial computerized potentiometric stripping analyser in combination with a laboratory-made electrode system and rotating sample holder. Copper(II) in the range 0.10–5 mg l −1 was determined in less than 1 min and lead(II) in the range 1–50 μg l −1 in 3 min, the precisions being ca. 15%.