Application of a single electrode, modified with polydiphenylamine and dodecyl sulfate, for the simultaneous amperometric determination of electro-inactive anions and cations in ion chromatography.

An amperometric sensor with a single working electrode for simultaneous determination of electro-inactive anions and cations, e.g. SO4(2-), Cl(-), NO3(-), Na(+), NH4(+), K(+), Mg(2+) and Ca(2+), was designed as a detector in ion chromatography. The modification of its working golden electrode was based on the incorporation of dodecyl sulfate into polydiphenylamine by electropolymerization of diphenylamine in the presence of sodium dodecylsulfate. In ion-exclusion/cation-exchange chromatography, a set of well defined peaks of these anions and cations was obtained at the working potential, +1.35 V (vs. saturated calomel electrode) using a citric acid solution as eluent. The common anions and cations in mineral water samples were determined using this ion-chromatographic system with satisfactory results.