A selective membrane electrode for lanthanum(III) ion based on a hexaaza macrocycle derivative as ionophore

We have developed a highly La(III)-selective PVC membrane electrode based on a hexaaza macrocycle, 8,16-dimethyl-6,14-diphenyl-2,3,4:10,11,12-dipyridine-1,3,5,9,11,13-hexaazacyclohexadeca-3,5,8,11,13,16-hexaene [Bzo2Me2Pyo2(16)-hexaeneN6] (I) as membrane carrier, dibutylbutyl phosphonate (DBBP) as solvent mediator and sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) as lipophilic additive. The best performance was given by the membrane of macrocycle I having a composition 10:260:5:120 (I:DBBP:NaTPB:PVC). The electrode exhibits a Nernstian response to La(III) ion in the concentration range 1.0x10(-1)-7.94x10(-7) M with a slope of 19.8+/-0.2 mV/decade of concentration and a detection limit of 5.62x10(-7) M. The response time of the sensor is 12 s and it can be used over a period of 4 months with good reproducibility. The electrode works well over a pH range of 2.5-10.0 and in partially non-aqueous medium with up to 30% organic content. The sensor was also used as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of La(III) ions with EDTA and for determining La(III) concentration in real samples.