Inorganic compounds, determination polarography

In general, the reactions of organic compounds at a voltammetric electrode are slower and more complex than those for inorganic species. Consequently, theoretical intei-pretation of the data is often more difficult or impossible. Generally, a much stricter adherence to detail is required for quantitative work. Despite these handicaps, organic polarography has proved fruitful for the determination of structure, the quantitative analysis of mixtures, and occasionally the qualitative identification of compounds. 

Controlled-potential coulometry has also found some use in the study of basic electrochemistry. It is not always obvious how many electrons are involved in a newly studied electrochemical reaction, e.g., in polarography. Thus, coulometry at controlled potential, in which a known quantity of the substance is electrolyzed and Q is measured, is often used to determine values for n and thereby help elucidate electrode mechanisms for a wide variety of compounds, both organic and inorganic. Very slow chemical reactions coupled with the electrochemical reaction may also be studied by controlled-potential coulometry [4] other electrochemical techniques usually are suitable only for much faster chemical reactions, with time scales of jusec to sec. 

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