ELECTROANALYSIS WITH CHEMICALLY MODIFIED ELECTRODES

The feasibility of using electrodes modified with functionalized polymer films for performing electroanalysis in solution is demonstrated. The proposed approach not only takes advantage of the favorable aspects of chemically modified electrodes (e. g. , sensitivity) but also provides for very broad synthetic variations (and therefore selectivity) as well as ways to detect and overcome matrix and saturation effects. The method is based on the use of copolymer films that incorporate both an electroactive center (used for inducing precipitation of the polymer on the electrode) and a coordinating site chosen on the basis of the species of interest. Even though the method is presented in the context of electroanalysis of metal ions in solution, this approach could be extended to be determination of organic functionalities through the appropriate choice of reagents.