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Updated: Jun 28, 2026

A Study of the Complexation of Mercury(II) with Dicysteinyl Tetrapeptides by Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry
Published on: January 8, 2016
Preconcentration and voltammetric measurement of mercury with a crown-ether modified carbon-paste electrode
1Department of Chemistry, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003, U.S.A.
Abstract:
Carbon-paste electrodes modified with crown-ethers were constructed by mixing the crown-ethers into a graphite powder/Nujol oil matrix. The electrodes so formed were able to bind mercuric ions chemically, and gave greater voltammetric response to mercury than that of ordinary carbon-paste electrodes. The response was characterized with respect to paste composition, crown-ether, preconcentration period, mercury concentration, reproducibility, possible interferences, and other variables. Best results were obtained with 18-crown-6 and an acetate buffer (pH 4.0). The electrode gave good linearity for 1 x 10(-5)-6 x 10(-6)M mercury, a detection limit of 2 x 10(-6)M, and a relative standard deviation of 11%. The investigation may lead to a new class of modified (complexing) electrodes, with different patterns of reactivity.
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