Copper(II) modified carbon paste electrodes based on self-assembled mercapto compounds-gold-nanoparticle

Three mercapto compounds [2-mercapto-5-(1-methyl-5-nitroimidazole-2-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole] (MMNIT), [2-mercapto-5-(5-nitrofuran-2-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole] (MNFT) and [2-mercapto-5-(5-nitrothiophen-2-yl)-1,3,4-thidiazole] (MNTT) were used for self-assembled-gold nanoparticle (SAGNP) modified carbon paste electrodes. The electrodes were applied as indicator electrodes for potentiometric determination of Cu(II) ion. The prepared electrodes exhibit a Nernstian slope of 31.0 ± 0.5 mV per decade for Cu(II) ion over a wide concentration range of 7.9 × 10−9–3.2 × 10−2, 7.9 × 10−9–7.9 × 10−4, and 2.8 × 10−8–7.9 × 10−3 mol L−1 for MMNIT, MNFT and, MNTT, respectively. The detection limits of electrodes were 3.5 (±0.2) × 10−9, 4.1 × 10−9, and 4.1 × 10−8 mol L−1 of copper ion, respectively. The potentiometric responses of electrodes based on MMNIT, MNFT, and MNTT are independent of the pH of test solution in the pH range 2.0–5.5, 2.5–7.0, and 2.0–6.5, respectively. They have quick response with response time of about 5 s. The proposed electrodes show fairly good selectivity over some alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metal ions. Finally, the proposed electrodes were successfully employed to detect Cu(II) ion in hair and water samples.