Potentiometry: Suggested Problems From S.H.C.
Potentiometry: Suggested Problems From S.H.C.
Potentiometry
Membrane potentials are responsible for the operation of the nervous systems of living organisms. Chemists make use of Membrane potentials to construct chemical sensors for various ions in aqueous solutions. Hydrogen, sodium, potassium, and fluoride ions are routinely determined by these sensors. The pH electrode is the most common membrane sensor. It uses a glass membrane to detect H+
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When blood ow to part of the heart is interrupted, potentially lethal changes in ionic concentrations occur. To study such an event, chemists, engineers, and doctors pooled their knowledge to create exible, miniature ion-selective electrodes that could be inserted into a beating heart.
Fabrication of the device required photolithographic techniques from the microelectronics industry and polymer know-how to produce a mechanically exible end product. Adhesion of the various layers to one another was a signicant challenge in making a practical device.
In this device, four dots are sensors for K+ and four are sensors for H+. The dot at the front tip is a Ag / AgCl reference electrode for the eight sensors. The sensors have a linear pH (4 -12) and K + (10-1 to 10 -5 M) response.
E = 0.197 V
Notice that the internal solution is SATURATED in Cl-
E = 0.244 V
Analytical pH Measurement
Volts
Potentiometry: ISEs
Types of Ion Selective Electrode (based on membranes) 1. Glass membrane - pH electrode 2. Solid state (crystal) membrane a. Single crystal mobility type b. Solubility type 3. Liquid membrane 4. Indirect electrodes
Inside Electrode
X+ X+
A2 A! 2
Membrane X+ A!1 X+ A1
The equilibrium electric potential difference (E) from ion migration is related to the difference in activity of the ion on the two sides of the membrane.
The free energy difference for a species at activity A1 on one side of the membrane and activity A2 on the other is given by:
! G = " RT ln
A'1 A'2
! zFE = ! RT ln
E = E* +
0.0591 log A1 z
Where E * = !
given electrode
E=
ISEs
In theory, membrane electrodes can be used to make direct potentiometic measurements In practice, the existence of liquid junction voltages REQUIRE ISE electrode calibration using std. solutions No electrode is truly selective. Other species (j) in solution can also interact with the membrane to produce a voltage......
When two electrolye solutions of different concentration are-brought in contact through a salt bridge a voltage develops across the bridge when ever the ions on the two sides have different mobility.
" % " $ zi ' % $z ' 0.0591 j& # E = E ' +! log$ ai + a j kij + ....' zi # &
The gure below is a segment of a calibration curve for a Ca2+ ionselective electrode at 25 C. We will assume ! is 1.0. (a) From THE CURVE estimate the value of [Ca2+] in an unknown sample which gives a potential of -327.1 mV. (b) The selectivity coefcient for Pb2+ for this electrode for is 20. What % error would arise in the answer for part (a) if, unknown to the analyst, there was 6 X 10-8 M Pb2+ in the unknown sample.
E is the cell voltage E' is a constant for a given measurement established by calibration ! is a constant that depends on the electrode (close to 1) j is an ion that also interacts with the membrane z is the charge, INCLUDING THE SIGN on ion kij is the selectivity coefcient The kij is a measure of electrode selectivity for one species (i) over another interfering species (j) E includes all constant cell voltages (reference electrode voltages, junction voltages, and E*)
Part a. To begin, we need to calibrate the electrode by determining the value for E
E=E +
E =E!
'
Next we use the E value and the measured voltage to calculate the Calcium concentration:
'
0.0591 2+ log[ Ca ] 2
0.0591 0.0591 2+ log[ Ca ] = !0.280 ! !3.8 2 2
!0.3271 = !0.168 +
[!0.3271 ! ( !0.168)] 2 = !5.38 0.0591 [ Ca2+ ] = 4.13 " 10!6 M log[ Ca2+ ] =
b. The interferent equivalent activity is given by the product of the selectivity coefcient and the real interferent activity.
Glass Membrane
Crystal-Membrane Electrodes
(e.g.Fluoride)
Membrane is a single lanthanum fluoride crystal doped with europium fluoride. 100% selective for F- ions. OH- interference (reacts with the lanthanum to form La(OH)3, releasing extra F- ions. Eliminate interference by adding a pH buffer to the samples (pH 4 to 8) to ensure a low OH- concentration.
Ag2S (s)
2 Ag+
S2-
The electrode is sensitive to both Ag+ and S2Electrodes sensitive to other ions can be constructed using mixed insoluble salts: For halide electrodes and SCN- use AgX - Ag2S mixtures where X = Br, Cl, F, I, SCN. For heavy metal electrodes use MS mixtures where M = Pb, Cu, and Cd
Paper Manufacture:
S2- and Cl- in pulping and recovery-cycle liquors.
Electroplating:
F- and Cl- in etching baths; S2- in anodising baths.
5) They are invaluable for the continuous monitoring of changes in concentration: e.g. in potentiometric titrations or monitoring the uptake of nutrients, the consumption of reagents, or point of care monitoring. 6) They are particularly useful in biological/medical applications because they measure the activity of the ion directly, rather than the concentration. 8) With careful use, frequent calibration, and an awareness of the limitations, they can achieve accuracy and precision levels of 2 or 3% for some elements and thus compare favourably with analytical techniques which require far more complex and expensive instrumentation. 9) ISEs are one of the few techniques which can measure both positive and negative ions. 10) ISEs can be used in aqueous solutions over a wide temperature range. Crystal membranes can operate in the range 0C to 80C and plastic membranes from 0C to 50C.