Abstract
The preparation of a lead-selective electrode based on 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,26,27,28-tetrakis-(diphenylphosphinoylmethoxy)calix[4]arene (1) as an ionophore is reported. The plasticized PVC membrane containing 30% PVC, 57% ortho-nitrophenyloctylether (NPOE), 4% sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) and 9% ionophore 1 was directly coated on a graphite electrode. It exhibits a nearly Nernstian slope of 28.0 ± 0.2 mV decade-1 over a concentration range of 1 × 10-5 - 1 × 10-2 mol dm-3 with a detection limit of 1.4 × 10-6 mol dm-3. The response time of the electrode was found to be ca. 17 s. The potential of the sensor was independent of the pH variation in the range 3.5 - 5.0. The selectivity of the electrode performance towards lead ions over Th4+, La3+, Sm3+, Dy3+, Y3+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Cd2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, Ni2+, Co2+, NH4+ Ag+, Li+, Na+ and K+ ions was investigated. The prepared electrode was used successfully as an indicator electrode for a potentiometric titration of a lead solution using a standard solution of EDTA. The applicability of the sensor for Pb2+ measurements in various synthetic water samples spiked with lead nitrate was also checked.
