Development of Chemical Sensors and Their Application to Flow Analysis Systems

Flow analysis has many advantages concerning sensitivity, accuracy, repeatability and analytical throughput etc, compared with a batchwise analysis. The flow-based method makes the involved analytical processes automatic and rapid. Therefore, the combination of a chemical sensor with the flow method enhances the performances of the chemical sensor. Especially, potentiometric detection using ion-selective electrodes has been widely used in flow analysis due to its features, simplicity in analytical operation and wide dynamic range in analysis. This paper reports on several chemical sensors applied to flow systems that we have engaged so far concerning: (1) Liquid membrane type ion-selective electrodes, such as nitrate, vitamin B1, tetrafluoroborate and surfactants sensitive electrodes based on an oleophilic anion exchange resin membrane and a hydrophobic ion exchanger. (2) Flow titration by using both a buffer solution and its corresponding electrode, such as a pH glass electrode with a pH buffer, a cupper(II) ion-selective electrode with a metal ion buffer solution and a redox electrode with a potential buffer solution. (3) Surface plasmon resonance sensors for succarides and some endocrine disrupting chemicals based on a boronic acid polymer membrane and antigen or antibody immobilized membrane. (4) Sequential injection analysis combined with beads injection technique for vitellogenin as biomarker for assessing the pollution of environment in hydrosphere

Amperometric Determination of Sulfite by Gas Diffusion- Sequential Injection with Boron-Doped Diamond Electrode

A gas diffusion sequential injection system with amperometric detection using aboron-doped diamond electrode was developed for the determination of sulfite. A gasdiffusion unit (GDU) was used to prevent interference from sample matrices for theelectrochemical measurement. The sample was mixed with an acid solution to generategaseous sulfur dioxide prior to its passage through the donor channel of the GDU. Thesulfur dioxide diffused through the PTFE hydrophobic membrane into a carrier solution of 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 8)/0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate in the acceptor channel of theGDU and turned to sulfite. Then the sulfite was carried to the electrochemical flow cell anddetected directly by amperometry using the boron-doped diamond electrode at 0.95 V(versus Ag/AgCl). Sodium dodecyl sulfate was added to the carrier solution to preventelectrode fouling. This method was applicable in the concentration range of 0.2-20 mgSO32−/L and a detection limit (S/N = 3) of 0.05 mg SO32−/L was achieved. This method wassuccessfully applied to the determination of sulfite in wines and the analytical resultsagreed well with those obtained by iodimetric titration. The relative standard deviations forthe analysis of sulfite in wines were in the range of 1.0-4.1 %. The sampling frequency was65 h−1