Determination of trace aluminium by adsorptive stripping voltammetry on a preplated bismuth-film electrode in the presence of cupferron

This work reports the use of adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) for the determination of aluminium on a rotating-disc bismuth-film electrode (BiFE). Al(III) ions in the non-deoxygenated sample were complexed with cupferron and the complex was accumulated by adsorption on the surface of the preplated BiFE. The stripping step was carried out by using a square-wave (SW) potential-time voltammetric excitation signal. The experimental variables as well as potential interferences were investigated and the figures of merit of the method were established. Using the selected conditions, the 3 sigma limit of detection for aluminium was 0.5 mu g l(-1) at a preconcentration time of 240 s and the relative standard deviation was 4.2% at the 5 mu g l(-1) level for a preconcentration time of 120 s (n = 8). The accuracy of the method was established by analysing water and metallurgical samples. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.