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A disposable voltammetric cell for determining the titratable acidity in vinegar
Akira Kotani1, Yuji Miyaguchi, Dai Harada
1School of Pharmacy, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Science, 1432-1 Horinouchi, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0392, Japan.
Summary
A new disposable voltammetric cell using pencil lead electrodes offers a simple, economical, and eco-friendly method for determining acid content in vinegar. This sensor provides accurate results with minimal sample volume, ideal for routine quality control.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Sensor Technology
Background:
- Titratable acidity is a key quality parameter in vinegar.
- Conventional methods for acidity determination are often time-consuming and require larger sample volumes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a disposable voltammetric cell for efficient determination of titratable acidity in vinegar.
- To evaluate the performance and reproducibility of the developed sensor.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a disposable voltammetric cell with graphite-reinforcement carbons (GRCs) from pencil leads as electrodes.
- Employed the reduction prepeak current of 3,5-di-t-butyl-1,2-benzoquinone (DBBQ) to quantify acid concentration.
- Compared results with conventional potentiometric titration.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated a linear relationship between prepeak current and acetic acid concentration (0.05–2.7 mM, R²=0.999).
- Achieved good cell-to-cell reproducibility (RSD 2.56% for 1 mM acetic acid).
- Showed high correlation (R²=0.972) with conventional titration, using significantly less sample volume.
Conclusions:
- The disposable voltammetric cell provides a facile, economical, and environmentally friendly alternative for vinegar acidity analysis.
- This sensor is suitable for routine quality control applications in the food industry.