Cyclic voltammograms obtained from the optical signals: Study of the successive electro-oxidations of rutin

This paper describes a novel method of obtaining cyclic voltammograms (CVs) from optical signals. The obtained CVs correspond to the various specific species involved in the electrode process, which give more detailed information on the system under investigation than the common CV. For this purpose cyclic voltabsorptometry was used to investigate the successive oxidation processes of rutin on a graphite-wax electrode by using a long optical-path thin-layer electrochemical cell. The dynamic UV spectra of rutin showed the information on the structures of the oxidation products at different potentials. Cyclic voltabsorptiograms (CVAs) were measured in three potential ranges at the characteristic absorption wavelengths of rutin, 346, 254 and 296 nm, respectively. The CVs of three species in solution (rutin and its two products) were obtained from the derivative cyclic voltabsorptiograms (DCVAs). Based on this the redox mechanisms of rutin in different CV peaks were discussed.