Application of renewable silver amalgam annular band electrode to voltammetric determination of vitamins C, B1 and B2

In this work, the design and results of applying silver liquid amalgam film-modified silver solid amalgam annular band electrode (AgLAF-AgSAE), refreshed before each measurement, to voltammetric determination of vitamins C (VC), B1 (VB1) and B2 (VB2) are presented. The method is based on adsorptive accumulation of analytes at the AgLAF-AgSAE in a phosphate buffer (VB1), phosphate buffer with Triton X-100 (VB2) and an alkaline borate buffer with Triton X-100 (VC). The analytical parameters and procedure of electrode activation were optimized. The calibration graphs obtained for vitamins C, B1 and B2 are linear, respectively, for concentration range 0.05-12, 0.01-0.1 and 0.05-3 mg L−1. The detection limits were calculated and equaled 0.02, 0.003 and 0.009 mg L−1, while repeatability of the peak current was 2%, 1% and 3%, respectively. These results are comparable with results obtained for polarographic determination of the same vitamins using mercury electrodes. Finally, the AgLAF-AgSAE was applied to the determination of vitamins in pharmaceutical samples and fruit juices with satisfactory results.