Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Making, Testing, and Using Potassium Ion Selective Microelectrodes in Tissue Slices of Adult Brain
Published on: May 7, 2018
Selectivity enhancement of anion-responsive electrodes by pulsed chronopotentiometry
Kebede L Gemene1, Alexey Shvarev, Eric Bakker
1Department of Chemistry, 560 Oval Drive, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA.
Abstract:
A large and robust selectivity improvement of ion-selective electrodes is presented for the measurement of abundant ions. An improvement in selectivity by more than two orders of magnitude has been attained for the hydrophilic chloride ions measured in a dilute background of the lipophilic ions perchlorate and salicylate in a pulsed chronopotentiometric measurement mode. This is attributed to a robust kinetic discrimination of the dilute lipophilic ions in this measuring mode, which is not possible to achieve in classical potentiometry. Maximum tolerable concentrations of the interfering ions are found to be on the order of 30 microM before causing substantial changes in potential. As an example of practical relevance, the robust detection of chloride in 72 microM salicylate (reflecting 1:10 diluted blood) with a detection limit of 0.5 mM chloride is demonstrated. Corresponding potentiometric sensors did not give a useful chloride response under these conditions.
Related Concept Videos
Potentiometry: Membrane Electrodes
Controlled-Potential Coulometry: Electrolytic Methods
The chosen potential ensures...
Potentiometry: Overview
Electrodes: Overview
There are two main types of electrodes in electrochemical cells. The first type, known as the working or indicator electrode, has a potential that is sensitive to the analyte's concentration and reacts to changes in the...
Potentiometry: Types of Electrodes
The Standard Hydrogen Electrode (SHE) is a widely used reference electrode that maintains zero potential across all temperatures. However, its need for a continuous hydrogen gas supply renders it impractical for everyday use.
An alternative to SHE is the Saturated Calomel Electrode (SCE). This electrode features an...
Interfacial Electrochemical Methods: Overview

