Graphite screen printed electrodes for the electrochemical sensing of chromium(VI).

We demonstrate that graphite screen printed macroelectrodes allow the low ppb sensing of chromium(VI) in aqueous solutions over the range 100 to 1000 microg L(-1) with a limit of detection of 19 microg L(-1). The underlying electrochemical mechanism is explored indicating an indirect process involving surface oxygenated species. The drawbacks of using hydrochloric acid as a model solution to evaluate the electrochemical detection of chromium(VI) are also pointed out. The analytical protocol is shown to be applicable for the sensing of chromium(VI) in canal water samples at levels set by the World Health Organisation. The protocol is simplified over existing analytical methodologies and given its analytical performance and economical nature, holds promise for the de-centralised screening of chromium(VI).

[1]  R. Compton,et al.  Electrochemical determination of nitrite at a bare glassy carbon electrode; why chemically modify electrodes? , 2010 .

[2]  Jyhfu Lee,et al.  Reduction of Cr(VI) by crop-residue-derived black carbon. , 2009, Environmental science & technology.

[3]  Rashid O. Kadara,et al.  Why 'the bigger the better' is not always the case when utilising microelectrode arrays: high density vs. low density arrays for the electroanalytical sensing of chromium(VI). , 2009, The Analyst.

[4]  Z. Yue,et al.  Removal of chromium Cr(VI) by low-cost chemically activated carbon materials from water. , 2009, Journal of hazardous materials.

[5]  Craig E. Banks,et al.  Characterization and fabrication of disposable screen printed microelectrodes , 2009 .

[6]  Craig E. Banks,et al.  Characterisation of commercially available electrochemical sensing platforms , 2009 .

[7]  B. Jena,et al.  Highly sensitive and selective electrochemical detection of sub-ppb level chromium(VI) using nano-sized gold particle. , 2008, Talanta.

[8]  Camelia Bala,et al.  Biosensors based on screen-printing technology, and their applications in environmental and food analysis , 2007, Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry.

[9]  R. Compton,et al.  The use of nanoparticles in electroanalysis: a review , 2006, Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry.

[10]  C. Banks,et al.  Gas sensing using edge-plane pyrolytic-graphite electrodes: electrochemical reduction of chlorine , 2005, Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry.

[11]  B. Tang,et al.  Rapid and sensitive spectrofluorimetric determination of trace amount of Cr(III) with o-vanillin-8-aminoquinoline. , 2004, Talanta.

[12]  R. Compton,et al.  Reduction of hexavalent chromium at solid electrodes in acidic media: reaction mechanism and analytical applications. , 2004, Talanta.

[13]  Carol H. Collins,et al.  Reduction Of Trace Quantities Of Chromium (vi) By Strong Acids , 2004 .

[14]  L. Pavanin,et al.  Determination of chromium (III) using a homogenous mixture of water-ethanol-methylisobutylketone solvents. , 2003, Talanta.

[15]  Mayumi Kaneko,et al.  Flow-injection determination of chromium(III) by its catalysis on the oxidative coupling of 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone with N-ethyl-N-(2-hydroxy-3-sulfopropyl)-3-methoxyaniline , 2002 .

[16]  N. Stozhko,et al.  A Sensor for the Determination of Electropositive Elements , 2002 .

[17]  D. Blowes.  Environmental chemistry. Tracking hexavalent Cr in groundwater. , 2002, Science.

[18]  S. Hirata,et al.  Determination of chromium(III) and total chromium in seawater by on-line column preconcentration inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry , 2000 .

[19]  A. Türker,et al.  Separation and speciation of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) with Saccharomyces cerevisiae immobilized on sepiolite and determination of both species in water by FAAS. , 2000, Talanta.

[20]  S. Flora,et al.  Threshold mechanisms and site specificity in chromium(VI) carcinogenesis , 2000 .

[21]  B. Gammelgaard,et al.  Improvement on simultaneous determination of chromium species in aqueous solution by ion chromatography and chemiluminescence detection , 1997 .

[22]  R. M. Cespón-Romero,et al.  Preconcentration and speciation of chromium by the determination of total chromium and chromium(III) in natural waters by flame atomic absorption spectrometry with a chelating ion-exchange flow injection system , 1996 .

[23]  Azza Mahmoud Aly,et al.  Adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetric determination of hexavalent chromium , 1996 .

[24]  C. V. D. Berg,et al.  The determination of the chromium speciation in sea water using catalytic cathodic stripping voltammetry , 1992 .

[25]  K. Collins,et al.  Speciation of the reaction products of51Cr/VI/ with formic acid , 1990 .

[26]  S. Agostinho,et al.  The effect of chloride ions on the electrochemical reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) at a rotating disk electrode , 1990 .

[27]  T. R. Mueller,et al.  The determination of chromium(VI) in natural waters by differential pulse polarography. , 1975, Analytica chimica acta.

[28]  J. Y. Tong,et al.  The Dissociation Equilibria of Trioxochlorochromate(VI) and Chromic Acid , 1966 .

[29]  G. Haight,et al.  A Spectrophotometric Study of Equilibria Involving Mononuclear Chromium(VI) Species in Solutions of Various Acids , 1964 .

[30]  Rashid O. Kadara,et al.  Disposable highly ordered pyrolytic graphite-like electrodes: Tailoring the electrochemical reactivity of screen printed electrodes , 2010 .

[31]  V. Protsenko,et al.  Electroreduction of hexavalent chromium compounds on the gold electrode , 1998 .

[32]  L. Burke,et al.  Dichromate reduction on gold and platinum electrodes in aqueous acid solutions , 1997 .

[33]  P. Kulesza,et al.  Determination of chromium(VI) by differential-pulse polarography with a sodium fluoride supporting electrolyte , 1984 .

[34]  C. Harzdorf,et al.  The determination of chromium(VI) in waste water and industrial effluents by differential pulse polarography , 1984 .