Highly selective-cathodic stripping voltammetric determination of copper with α-benzylmonooxime

Copper(II) was selectively accumulated on hanging mercury drop electrode incorporating alpha-benzylmonooxime. The current measurements were carried out by differential pulse cathodic voltammetry, due to the reduction of copper(II)-alpha-benzylmonooxime complex adsorbed on to the hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE). The possible interference by other trace metals, major cation and organic complexing ligands are investigated. The influence of variables is completing studied. The peak current is proportional to the concentration of copper(II) over the range 1-850 ng/ml with a limit of detection of 0.3 ng/ml with an accumulation time of 90 s. The relative standard deviation for 10 replicate determination of 200.0 ng/ml Cu(II) is equal to 1.2%. The method was applied to the determination of copper in some commercial salts and river water. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.