A Novel Eco-Friendly and Highly Sensitive Solid Lead-Tin Microelectrode for Trace U(VI) Determination in Natural...

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Uranium ion determination is crucial for environmental monitoring and nuclear safety.
• Traditional methods often involve toxic reagents and generate significant waste.
• Development of sensitive, eco-friendly analytical techniques is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel solid-state lead-tin microelectrode for U(VI) ion determination.
• To evaluate the sensor's durability, reusability, and environmental benefits.
• To optimize and validate the adsorptive stripping voltammetry procedure for U(VI) analysis.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a solid-state lead-tin microelectrode (25 µm diameter) as the working electrode.
• Employed adsorptive stripping voltammetry for U(VI) ion quantification.
• Optimized accumulation time and other analytical parameters.

Main Results:

• Achieved a two-orders-of-magnitude linear dynamic range for U(VI) from 1 × 10^-9 to 1 × 10^-7 mol L^-1.
• Determined a low detection limit of 3.9 × 10^-10 mol L^-1 with 120 s accumulation.
• Demonstrated high precision (RSD% of 3.5%) and validated the method with certified reference material.

Conclusions:

• The developed lead-tin microelectrode sensor offers a durable, reusable, and eco-friendly alternative for U(VI) determination.
• The method eliminates the need for toxic preplating ions, reducing waste.
• The technique is suitable for field analysis due to its ability to measure from unmixed solutions and its high sensitivity.