Electrochemical System for Field Control of Hg2+ Concentration in Wastewater Samples.

The paper presents the validation of an electrochemical procedure for on-site Hg2+ ions determination in wastewater samples using a modified carbon screen-printed electrode (SPE) with a complexing polymeric film based on poly(2,2'-(ethane-1,2-diylbis((2-(azulen-2-ylamino)-2-oxoethyl)azanediyl))diacetic acid) (polyL). Using metal ions accumulation in an open circuit followed by anodic stripping voltammetry, the SPE-polyL electrode presents a linear range in the range of 20 µg/L to 150 µg/L, with a limit of detection (LOD) = 6 µg/L, limit of quantification (LOQ) = 20 µg/L, and an average measurement uncertainty of 26% of mercury ions. The results obtained in situ and in the laboratory using the SPE-polyL modified electrode were compared with those obtained by the atomic absorption spectrometry coupled with the cold vapor generation standardized method, with the average values indicating excellent recovery yields.

Cu(II) and Hg(II) detection under photo-assisted accumulation in an open circuit potential at a polyazulene-EDTA like modified electrode.

The influence of UV light irradiation on the metal ion open-circuit accumulation process is determined using a glassy carbon modified electrode with poly(2,2'-(ethan-1,2-diylbis((2-(azulen-2-ylamino)-2-oxoethyl)azandiyl))diacetic acid (polyL). A correlation analysis between the semiconductive properties of polyL film and sensing properties is performed. Photo-assisted metal ion open circuit accumulation led to the simultaneous detection of Cu(II) and Hg(II) which allowed a detection limit of 0.4 nM and 0.7 nM for Cu(II) and Hg(II), respectively.

Improving the Voltammetric Determination of Hg(II): A Comparison Between Ligand-Modified Glassy Carbon and Electrochemically Reduced Graphene Oxide Electrodes.

A new thiosemicarbazone ligand was immobilized through a Cu(I)-catalyzed click reaction on the surface of glassy carbon (GC) and electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (GC-ERGO) electrodes grafted with phenylethynyl groups. Using the accumulation at open circuit followed by anodic stripping voltammetry, the modified electrodes showed a significant selectivity and sensibility for Hg(II) ions. A detection limit of 7 nM was achieved with the GC modified electrodes. Remarkably, GC-ERGO modified electrodes showed a significantly improved detection limit (0.8 nM), sensitivity, and linear range, which we attribute to an increased number of surface binding sites and better electron transfer properties. Both GC and GC-ERGO modified electrodes proved their applicability for the analysis of real water samples.

Permeability improvements of electropolymerized polypyrrole films using dissolvable nano-CaCO3 particle templates.

The electropolymerisation of N-substituted pyrroles on a dissolvable calcium carbonate nanoparticle template was investigated in order to improve the film permeabilities in aqueous solution. After deposition of CaCO3 nanoparticles on the electrode surface, poly(pyrrole-ammonium) or poly(pyrrole-NTA) (NTA: nitrilotriacetic acid) were electrogenerated around the template structures of the electrodes using potentiostatic methods. The dissolution of nanoparticles in acidic medium leads to the formation of nano-porous structures increasing, therefore, the polypyrrole permeability in aqueous solutions. Histidine-tagged glucose oxidase, chosen as an enzyme model, was immobilised on the modified polypyrrole-NTA via the NTA-Cu(2+)-histidine interactions to validate the proposed method. The described setup led to a twofold increase in the maximum current density from 5 to 10 µA cm(-2) after template dissolution.

Study of the complexation of 1,3-diethyl 2-(azulen-1-ylmethylene)propanedioate with lanthanide cations.

This work is devoted to the electrochemical characterization of 1,3-diethyl 2-(azulen-1-ylmethylene)propanedioate by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. The redox processes are established, analyzed and assessed to the particular functional groups at which they take place. The complexation behavior towards lanthanide metal ions (Sm(3+), Eu(3+), Yb(3+), Tb(3+)) was studied by electrochemical methods and UV-Vis spectroscopy.

Interaction of Mg Alloy with PLA Electrospun Nanofibers Coating in Understanding Changes of Corrosion, Wettability, and pH.

A modified biodegradable magnesium alloy (AZ31, 96 wt% Mg, 3 wt% Al, and 1 wt% Zn) with polylactic acid (PLA) nanofibers was obtained by the electrospinning technique. The presence of PLA nanofibers was evidenced using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and using an scanning electronic microscope (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) module. The degradation behavior of an uncoated Mg alloy and a Mg alloy coated with PLA was evaluated through hydrogen evolution, pH, and electrochemical measurements in simulated body fluid. Contact angle measurements showed a shift from hydrophilic towards the hydrophobic character of the alloy after its coating with PLA nanofibers. Furthermore, the electrochemical measurement results show that the Mg based alloy coated with PLA inhibits hydrogen evolution, thus being less prone to degradation. The aim of this research is not only to reduce the corrosion rate of Mg alloy and to improve its properties with the help of polylactic acid coating, but also to provide a study to understand the hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance of biodegradable magnesium based on surface energy investigations. Taking into account corrosion rate, wettability, and pH changes, an empiric model of the interaction of Mg alloy with PLA nanofibers is proposed.