Mesoporous film of WO3-the “sunlight” assisted decomposition of surfactant in wastewater for voltammetric determination of Pb

In this paper we present the application of “sunlight” assisted digestion in the presence of WO3 to the decomposition of dissolved organic matter, using the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and the nonionic surfactant (1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenyl-polyethylene glycol (Triton™X-114) in natural water samples, prior to the determination of traces residues of lead by stripping voltammetry methods. The results of the study showed firstly that the preparation of reproducible WO3 layers characterized by high mechanical and chemical resistance was possible, and secondly that it was also possible to obtain a high efficiency of decomposition, equal in efficiency to that of the reference method, which was the hydrogen peroxide oxidation assisted by UV, with evaporation nearly to dryness. The developed procedure is suggested to be a no-reagents method for the decomposition of added SDS, leading to 100% recovery of added Pb (II). The anodic stripping voltammetric curves recorded in solution after 4 h irradiation with UV assisted by WO3 were repeatable and increased linearly with standard additions, but the data finally obtained were incorrect. The curves recorded in solution after “sunlight” assisted digestion in the presence of WO3 were repeatable, and increased linearly with an increasing of concentration of standard additions (100% recovery of Pb). In the case of a nonionic surfactant, the decomposition time is at least 6 h. The advantage of the proposed method is the fact that the digestion process does not need the addition of any chemicals for the complete decomposition of organic matter.