Nano-level monitoring of ytterbium(III) by a novel ytterbium(III) membrane sensor based on 3-hydroxy-N′-[(2-hydroxyphenyl) methylene]-2-naphthohydrazide

In this work, a highly sensitive ytterbium(III)-selective solvent polymeric membrane sensor based on 3-hydroxy-N′-[(2-hydroxyphenyl)methylene]-2-naphthohydrazide (HPMN), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), the plasticizer dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and sodium tetraphenyl borate (NaTPB) anionic site is described. This sensor responds to Yb(III) activity in a linear range from 1.0 × 10−7 to 1.0 × 10−2 M, with a slope of 19.2 ± 0.2 mV per decade and a detection limit of 4.0 × 10−8 M at a pH range of 3.0–8.5. It has a very fast response time of <6 s in the whole concentration range, and can be used for at least 6 weeks without any considerable divergences in its potentials. The proposed sensor revealed comparatively good selectivity with respect to common alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metal ions, and especially lanthanide ions. It was used as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of Yb(III) ions with EDTA and in determination of concentration of Yb3+ ions in binary mixtures.