MONATSHEFTE FUR CHEMIE, cilt.141, sa.8, ss.829-839, 2010 (SCI-Expanded)
The construction, performance, and application of a new PVC membrane electrode for determination of the mercury(II) ion, based on 8,17-bis(pyren-1-ylmethyl)-6,7,8,9,15,16,17,18-octahydrodibenzo[f,m][1,8,4,11]dithiadiazacyclotetradecine as an ionophore, is described. The effects of factors such as membrane composition, the nature and amount of the plasticizers and additives, and pH for the improved sensitivity of the electrode were studied. The electrode had a Nernstian response for mercury(II) ions over the concentration range 1.0 x 10(-2)-1.0 x 10(-6) mol dm(-3) with a slope of 27.6 +/- 0.6 mV/pHg. The detection limit for mercury(II) was 7.9 x 10(-7) mol dm(-3). The response time of the electrode was between 5 and 15 s, depending on the concentration of mercury, and it can be used in a pH range 4.0-4.5 for approximately 4 months without any substantial divergence of the response characteristics. It showed higher selectivity for mercury(II) ions than for several common alkali, alkaline earth, and transition metal ions except silver( I). The proposed electrode was successfully applied to direct determination of mercury in a dental filling amalgam alloy as a real sample with a complex matrix and as an indicator electrode in complexation titrations.