Anodic stripping voltammetric analysis of trace arsenic(III) enhanced by mild hydrogen-evolution at a bimetallic Au–Pt nanoparticle modified glassy carbon electrode

•Electrodeposition of bimetallic Au–Pt nanoparticles on a glassy carbon electrode•Enhanced cathodic preconcentration of As(0) by mild hydrogen-evolution at a less negative potential•Sensitive dual-signal fast-scan-rate linear sweep anodic stripping voltammetric analysis of As(III)

A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with electrodeposited bimetallic Au–Pt nanoparticles (Au–PtNPs) was applied to sensitively detect As(III) by linear sweep anodic stripping voltammetry (LSASV). In 0.5 M aqueous H2SO4, atomic hydrogen and molecular hydrogen were easily electrogenerated at the Pt sites on Au–PtNPs/GCE, which can chemically reduce As(III) to As(0) and enhance the cathodic preconcentration of As(0) at both the Pt sites and the neighboring Au sites. Since the As(0)–Au affinity is weaker than the As(0)–Pt affinity, the preconcentrated As(0) can be rapidly oxidized on/near the surface Au sites of Au–PtNPs/GCE, yielding sharper and higher LSASV current peaks. Under optimum conditions (700 s preconcentration at − 0.1 V, 5 V s− 1), the LSASV peak current for the As(0)–As(III) oxidation responded linearly to As(III) concentration from 0.005 to 3.0 μM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 3.7 nM (0.28 ppb) (S/N = 3), while that for the As(III)–As(V) oxidation was linear with As(III) concentration from 0.01 to 3.0 μM with a LOD of 6.0 nM (0.45 ppb) (S/N = 3). This method was applied for analysis of As(III) in real water samples.