title: Hexacyanoferrate(III) as a mediator in the determination of total iron in potable waters as iron(II)-1,10-phenanthroline at a single-use screen-printed carbon sensor device.
abstract: Hexacyanoferrate(III) was used as a mediator in the determination of total iron, as iron(II)-1,10-phenanthroline, at a screen-printed carbon sensor device. Pre-reduction of iron(III) at -0.2V versus Ag/AgCl (1M KCl) in the presence of hexacyanoferrate(II) and 1,10-phenanthroline (pH 3.5-4.5), to iron(II)-1,10-phenanthroline, was complete at the unmodified carbon electrode surface. Total iron was then determined voltammetrically by oxidation of the iron(II)-1,10-phenanthroline at +0.82V, with a detection limit of 10microg l(-1). In potable waters, iron is present in hydrolysed form, and it was found necessary to change the pH to 2.5-2.7 in order to reduce the iron(III) within 30s. A voltammetric response was not found at lower pH values owing to the non-formation of the iron(II)-1,10-phenanthroline complex below pH 2.5. Attempts to incorporate all the relevant reagents (1,10-phenanthroline, potassium hexacyanoferrate(III), potassium hydrogen sulphate, sodium acetate, and potassium chloride) into a modifying coated PVA film were partially successful. The coated electrode behaved very satisfactorily with freshly-prepared iron(II) and iron(III) solutions but with hydrolysed iron, the iron(III) signal was only 85% that of iron(II).
authors.affiliation: Luton Institute of Research in the Applied Natural Sciences University of Luton, The Spires, 2 Adelaide Street, Luton LU1 5DU, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jezek
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Dilleen
authors.forename: Barry G D
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Haggett
authors.forename: Arnold G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Fogg
authors.forename: Brian J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Birch