title: Metallo-graphene nanocomposite electrocatalytic platform for the determination of toxic metal ions.
abstract: A Nafion-Graphene (Nafion-G) nanocomposite solution in combination with an in situ plated mercury film electrode was used as a highly sensitive electrochemical platform for the determination of Zn(2+), Cd(2+), Pb(2+) and Cu(2+) in 0.1 M acetate buffer (pH 4.6) by square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV). Various operational parameters such as deposition potential, deposition time and electrode rotation speed were optimized. The Nafion-G nanocomposite sensing platform exhibited improved sensitivity for metal ion detection, in addition to well defined, reproducible and sharp stripping signals. The linear calibration curves ranged from 1 μg L(-1) to 7 μg L(-1) for individual analysis. The detection limits (3σ blank/slope) obtained were 0.07 μg L(-1) for Pb(2+), Zn(2+) and Cu(2+) and 0.08 μg L(-1) for Cd(2+) at a deposition time of 120 s. For practical applications recovery studies was done by spiking test samples with known concentrations and comparing the results with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analyses. This was followed by real sample analysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa. 2607160@uwc.ac.za
authors.forename: Chandre M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Willemse
authors.forename: Khotso
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tlhomelang
authors.forename: Nazeem
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jahed
authors.forename: Priscilla G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: Emmanuel I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Iwuoha
mesh_terms: D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007477:Ions / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D007477:Ions; D008670:Metals; D006108:Graphite