Electrochemical Determination of Cadmium, Lead, and Nickel Using a Polyphenol–Polyvinyl Chloride—Boron-Doped Diamond Electrode

ABSTRACT

Boron-doped diamond electrode surfaces were modified by a polyphenol—polyvinyl chloride membrane. The polyphenols were extracted from the skin of acorns, the fruit of the oak tree. The polymer film was applied on the boron-doped diamond electrode surface by solvent evaporation. The resulting polyphenol–polyvinyl chloride–boron-doped diamond electrode was used as a sensor for cadmium, lead, and nickel. The synergy between the chemically modified surfaces and electrochemical performances of the boron-doped diamond microcell electrode was examined by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry at nanomolar concentrations of the three metal ions. The modified electrode provided a stable, sensitive, and selective response to cadmium, lead(II), and nickel(II) ions. The resulting detection limits were 0.0221, 0.25, and 0.00424 nmole L⁻¹, respectively.

KEYWORDS:

• Differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV)
• environmental monitoring
• heavy metals
• pollution
• polyphenol–polyvinyl chloride membrane boron-doped diamond (PVC-BDD) electrode