In potentiometry

In potentiometry the potential of an electrochemical cell is measured under static conditions. Because no current, or only a negligible current, flows while measuring a solution s potential, its composition remains unchanged. For this reason, potentiometry is a useful quantitative method. The first quantitative potentiometric applications appeared soon after the formulation, in 1889, of the Nernst equation relating an electrochemical cell s potential to the concentration of electroactive species in the cell. ... 

Potentiometric measurements are made using a potentiometer to determine the difference in potential between a working or, indicator, electrode and a counter electrode (see Figure 11.2). Since no significant current flows in potentiometry, the role of the counter electrode is reduced to that of supplying a reference potential thus, the counter electrode is usually called the reference electrode. In this section we introduce the conventions used in describing potentiometric electrochemical cells and the relationship between the measured potential and concentration. 

In potentiometry, the concentration of analyte in the cathodic half-cell is generally unknown, and the measured cell potential is used to determine its concentration. Thus, if the potential for the cell in Figure 11.5 is measured at -1-1.50 V, and the concentration of Zn + remains at 0.0167 M, then the concentration of Ag+ is determined by making appropriate substitutions to equation 11.3... 

The potential of the indicator electrode in a potentiometric electrochemical cell is proportional to the concentration of analyte. Two classes of indicator electrodes are used in potentiometry metallic electrodes, which are the subject of this section, and ion-selective electrodes, which are covered in the next section. 

The potential of a metallic electrode is determined by the position of a redox reaction at the electrode-solution interface. Three types of metallic electrodes are commonly used in potentiometry, each of which is considered in the following discussion. 

In potentiometry, the potential of an electrochemical cell under static conditions is used to determine an analyte s concentration. As seen in the preceding section, potentiometry is an important and frequently used quantitative method of analysis. Dynamic electrochemical methods, such as coulometry, voltammetry, and amper-ometry, in which current passes through the electrochemical cell, also are important analytical techniques. In this section we consider coulometric methods of analysis. Voltammetry and amperometry are covered in Section 1 ID. 

Enzyme sensors are based primarily on the immobilization of an enzyme onto an electrode, either a metallic electrode used in amperometry (e.g., detection of the enzyme-catalyzed oxidation of glucose) or an ISE employed in potentiometry (e.g., detection of the enzyme-catalyzed liberation of hydronium or ammonium ions). The first potentiometric enzyme electrode, which appeared in 1969 due to Guilbault and Montalvo [140], was a probe for urea with immobilized urease on a glass electrode. Hill and co-workers [141] described in 1986 the second-generation biosensor using ferrocene as a mediator. This device was later marketed as the glucose pen . The development of enzyme-based sensors for the detection of glucose in blood represents a major area of biosensor research. 

In measurements of conductivity, no electrochemical reactions occur. Differences in conductivity are due to differences in the ionic strengths of solutions. An alternating potential is applied to the solution at a known potential. The current is measured and the conductivity in Siemens/cm calculated.16 In potentiometry, the analyte is presumed to undergo no electrochemical reaction. The potential at the electrode changes due to changes in potential across the surface of the membrane in a membrane electrode or at the electrode surface of a solid electrode. The most familiar example of a potentiometric electrode is the pH electrode. In amperometry, current does flow, due to reduction or oxidation of the substance being analyzed. 

The electrochemical detection of pH can be carried out by voltammetry (amper-ometry) or potentiometry. Voltammetry is the measurement of the current potential relationship in an electrochemical cell. In voltammetry, the potential is applied to the electrochemical cell to force electrochemical reactions at the electrode-electrolyte interface. In potentiometry, the potential is measured between a pH electrode and a reference electrode of an electrochemical cell in response to the activity of an electrolyte in a solution under the condition of zero current. Since no current passes through the cell while the potential is measured, potentiometry is an equilibrium method. 

In potentiometry, the variation of the potential of a Pt electrode relative to a calomel reference electrode represents the time-dependent bromine concentration. Available [Br2] is about 2 x 10-5-10-4 m pseudo-first-order conditions ([Ol] [Br2]) have to be used. Rate constants up to 104 5 m- 1 s 1 can thus be obtained (Atkinson and Bell, 1963 Dubois et ai, 1968). 

Ion-selective electrode (ISE) In potentiometry, an electrode having a nemstian response to one ion, ideally to the exclusion of others. 

In potentiometry with ion-selective electrodes (ISE), as a rule, it is the electromotive force of a cell such as the following that is measured. 

As stated on p. 28, an analytically ideal sensor would determine the deter-minand both specifically and quantitatively. In potentiometry, this would require an electrode sensitive to one single substance among all the components of the system. 

In potentiometry with ISEs, however, the second Gran method [46] has found especially wide use, not only in titrations, but also in multiple addition methods in general. In these methods, the concentration of the test substance is plotted against the volume of the titrant or of the standard solution and thus the curve is linearized. The end-point in the titration or the determinand concentration in a multiple addition method is found as the intercept of the straight line with the volume axis. Linearization is attained by taking the antilogarithm of the Nernst equation ... 

In potentiometry, we measure the emf of a cell consisting of an indicator electrode and a reference electrode. For emf measurements, we generally use a pH/ mV meter of high input impedance. The potential of the reference electrode must be stable and reproducible. If there is a liquid junction between the indicator electrode and the reference electrode, we should take the liquid junction potential into account. 

When three-electrode devices are used, reference electrodes similar to those in potentiometry (Section 6.1.2) are applicable, because no appreciable current flows through them. The reference electrodes used in non-aqueous solutions can be classified into two groups [1, 2, 5, 10]. Reference electrodes of the first group are prepared by using the solvent under study and those of the second group are... 

Acetonitrile interacts with the d10 metal ions Cu1 and Ag1 to form solvated species of marked stability. This stability has been used in potentiometry where the Ag, 0.01 M AgN03 couple in acetonitrile has been recommended as a reversible reference electrode.154... 

Coulometry comprises a set of techniques in which the total charge required (not the current, as in potentiometry) to oxidize or reduce the chemical species of interest is measured. The prime virtue of coulometric techniques is that they link the quantity of substance determined directly to the quantity of electrical charge, and thus expensive and often difficult procedures for standardization or calibration can be minimized or eliminated. 

The need for a rather lengthy discussion of the liquid junction potential was prompted by the fact that, in potentiometry, the information is obtained from the measurement of the cell voltage. 

In potentiometry, a two-electrode setup is used and is given schematically in Fig. 1.3. This setup consists of a working and a reference electrode, and it is the aim of this method to measure equilibrium conditions at the surface of the working electrode. Under equilibrium, the Nernst equation is valid ... 

Another important detection method is based on electrochemical measurements. These include the measurement of voltage (in potentiometry), solution resistance (in conductivity), current (in amperometry), and current-voltage profile (in voltammetry). These electroanalytical techniques are described in subsequent sections. 

Meloun, M. Havel, J. Hoegfeldt, E., Computation of Solution Equilibria A Guide to Methods in Potentiometry, Extraction, and Spectrophotometry, Ellis Hor-ward Ltd., Chichester, 1988. 

In potentiometry, where little current is passed, the emphasis is on electrodes that measure pH (pH electrode) or permit the chemical... 

Bipotentiometry — Whereas in - potentiometry the - potential of one -> indicator electrode is measured versus the constant potential of a -> reference electrode, in... 

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