Solid-contact Hg(II)-selective electrode based on a carbon-epoxy composite containing a new dithiophosphate-based ionophore.

The experimental results herein concern a novel ion-selective electrode manufactured with an inner solid contact based on a new ligand O,O'-(2,2'-biphenylene)dithiophosphate pentyl (PenDTF). This electrode displays high selectivity toward the Hg(II) ion even in the presence of different divalent ions. The electrode also exhibited a good Nernstian response to Hg(II) (33.7±1.0 mV decade(-1)) over an ample concentration range (5.3×10(-7)-1.0×10(-2) mol L(-1)), with a detection limit of (6.1±1.7)×10(-7) mol L(-1). As a result of design, the electrode can be used for many experiments, simply renewing its contact surface with emery paper, without giving rise to a significant response deviation, exhibiting a variation coefficient of 3%, capable of being tested within the 0-5 pH interval. The electrode was used satisfactorily as indicating electrode during the potentiometric titration of Hg(II) ions with EDTA.