Stripping Voltammetric Analysis of Heavy Metals at Nitrogen Doped Diamond-Like Carbon Film Electrodes

Abstract

Conductive nitrogen doped diamond-like carbon (N-DLC) film electrodes were used to investigate the possibility of detecting heavy metals such as lead, copper and cadmium by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) in the absence of mercury film. The preconcentration conditions (deposition potential, deposition time) and solution pH were optimized for the determination of lead in aqueous solution. A linear dependence of lead stripping current peak within the concentration (5×10−7 to 2×10−6 M Pb2+) and deposition time (30 to 300 s at −1.00 V vs. SCE) was obtained. A multi-elemental analysis (Pb2+, Cd2+ and Cu2+) illustrated that the N-DLC film electrode provided a significant stripping response for determination of multi-metals simultaneously. The present novel electrode showed great promise for the analysis of heavy metals.