REMOTE STRIPPING ELECTRODE FOR IN-SITU MONITORING OF LABILE COPPER INTHE MARINE-ENVIRONMENT

A remote electrode, operated in the stripping potentiometric mode, is employed for in situ marine surveys of labile copper in bay seawater. The probe relies on a novel electrode assembly, coupled to a long shie lded cable, and allows direct immersion of the gold working electrode in seawater. Continuous operation. of the probe from a small boat is u sed for obtaining the distribution pattern of copper in San Diego Bay. Monitoring of labile copper in the unpolluted water of Sequim Bay (Wa shington state) is also reported. As desired for metal speciation stud ies, such a submersible in situ operation is performed without perturb ation of the natural equilibria. Laboratory optimization, in situ char acterization, and future prospects are described and discussed.