Trace Analysis of Metal Ions Using a Coulometric Thin Layer Flow Cell Technique

Abstract

An electroanalytical method is presented based on sample injection into a flowing electrolyte phase followed by exhaustive collection and subsequent quantitative determination of the sample in a flow-through thin layer cell within a time scale of ≈ 10 min. The method is suitable for trace analysis of reversibly reducible metallic species at the picomole level and has been tested experimentally by investigating the analysis of Tl⁺- and Pb²⁺-sample solutions. By optimizing the cell parameters a further lowering of the present detection limit (≈ nanomoles/l) should be possible.