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Updated: May 17, 2026

Seawater Sampling and Collection
Published on: June 17, 2009
Sulfide determination in hydrothermal seawater samples using a vibrating gold micro-wire electrode in conjunction
Virginie Aumond1, Matthieu Waeles, Pascal Salaün
1Université de Bretagne Occidentale, IUEM, Lemar UMR CNRS 6539, Plouzané, France.
Abstract:
A rapid electrochemical stripping chronopotentiometric procedure to determined sulfide in unaltered hydrothermal seawater samples is presented. Sulfide is deposited at -0.25 V (vs Ag/AgCl, KCl 3M) at a vibrating gold microwire and then stripped through the application of a reductive constant current (typically -2 μA). The hydrodynamic conditions are modulated by vibration allowing a short deposition step, which is shown here to be necessary to minimize H(2)S volatilization. The limit of detection (LOD) is 30 nM after a deposition step of 7s. This LOD is in the same range as the most sensitive cathodic voltammetric technique using a mercury drop electrode and is well below those reported previously for other electrodes capable of being implemented in situ.
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