Voltammetric and amperometric studies of thiocholine at a screen-printed carbon electrode chemically modified with cobalt phthalocyanine: studies towards a pesticide sensor

Abstract

Cyclic voltammetry was used to investigate the electrochemical behaviour of thiocholine at screen-printed carbon electrodes chemically modified with cobalt phthalocyanine. Cyclic voltammograms exhibited one anodic peak (Ia) and two cathodic peaks (Ic and IIc) in the potential range –0.8–+0.3 V between pH 5.0 and 12.0. Peak Ia is considered to result from the electrocatalytic oxidation of the thiol moiety to produce the corresponding disulfide; peak Ic is likely to be the electrocatalytic reduction of the disulfide back to the original thiol species. Peak IIc is probably due to a reduction process occurring in the macrocyclic phthalocyanine molecule. Hydrodynamic voltammetry was performed in 0.05 mol dm–3 phosphate buffer (pH 8.0) containing thiocholine; one well-defined anodic wave was obtained. From this, the optimum potential for amperometric studies was found to be +0.1 V. Calibration studies were performed using amperometry in stirred solution; a linear response was obtained over the range 5.0 × 10–7–4.8 × 10–5 mol dm–3. It should be possible to use these screen-printed electrodes as the basis of a pesticide sensor.