An original nitrate sensor based on silver nanoparticles electrodeposited on a gold electrode

The electroreduction of nitrate in synthetic seawater was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) at a bare gold electrode modified by electrodeposited silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The AgNPs were generated by chronoamperometry using a charge. Q lower than the theoretical one corresponding to a silver monolayer. In these conditions, a linear range for nitrate determination is obtained from 10.10(-6) mol L(-1) to 10-10(-3) mol L(-1). Such a low limit of detection was achieved due to the combination of two chemical reactions coupled with electron transfer. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.