Synthesis of N'-(1-pyridin-2-ylmethylene)-2-furohydrazide and its application in construction of a highly selective PVC-based membrane sensor for La(III) ions.

A highly La(III) ion-selective PVC membrane sensor based on N'-(1-pyridin-2-ylmethylene)-2-furohydrazide (NPYFH) as an excellent sensing material was successfully developed. The electrode shows a good selectivity for La(III) ion with respect to most common cations including alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metal ions. The proposed sensor exhibits a wide linear response with slope of 19.2 +/- 0.6 mV per decade over the concentration range of 1.0 x 10(-6) - 1.0 x 10(-1) M, and a detection limit of 7.0 x 10(-7) M of La(III) ions. The sensor response is independent of pH in the range of 3.5-10.0. The proposed electrode was applied as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of La(III) ion with EDTA.