Multi-walled carbon nanotubes-ionic liquid-carbon paste electrode as a super selectivity sensor: Application to potentiometric monitoring of mercury ion(II)

In this article a super selectivity potentiometric methodology, using an ion-selective electrode, for determination of mercury ion(II) in aqueous solution was investigated. For modification of the electrode a room temperature ionic liquid, 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIM·BF4), was applied as a super conductive binder, and Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was used in the composition of the carbon paste to improve conductivity and transduction of chemical signal to electrical signal. Moreover, incorporation of 1-(2-ethoxyphenyl)-3-(3-nitrophenyl)triazene (ENTZ) as an ionophore to this composition caused to significantly enhanced selectivity toward Hg(II) ions over a wide concentration range of 1.0 × 10−4 to 5.0 × 10−9 M with a lower detection limit of 2.5 × 10−9 M (0.5 ppb) and a Nernstian slope of 29.3 ± (0.2) mV decade−1 of Hg(II) activity. The electrode has a short response time (∼5 s) and can be used for at least 55 days without any considerable divergence in potentials, and the working pH range was 2.0-4.3. Finally, the proposed electrode was successfully used as an indicator for potentiometric determination of Hg(II) in dental amalgam and water samples.