Determination of metal ion binding parameters for humic substances Part 1.Application of a simple calculation method for extraction of meaningful parameters from reverse pulse polarograms
M. Filella et Rm. Town, Determination of metal ion binding parameters for humic substances Part 1.Application of a simple calculation method for extraction of meaningful parameters from reverse pulse polarograms, J ELEC CHEM, 485(1), 2000, pp. 21-33
Extraction of valid metal ion complexation parameters for heterogeneous lig
ands from voltammetric data is fraught with difficulties. We apply a straig
htforward calculation method to pulse polarograms, which overcomes some of
the limitations. Our method takes into account the heterogeneity of complex
ants such as fulvic acids through the use of two parameters which are inher
ent properties of the substance under study and which allow complexation pa
rameters to be calculated for other metal-loading conditions. The results o
btained are used to generate theoretical polarograms, by using a numerical
simulation model that allows kinetic effects to be taken into account. Appl
ication of this methodology to Cu(II)- and Pb(II)-complexation by Suwannee
River fulvic acid showed that RPP polarographic waves for both of these met
als are affected to some extent by adsorption of the ligand on the working
electrode surface. For Cu(II), the complexation parameters were strongly de
pendent on the experimental conditions, implying that the overall impact of
adsorption is far more significant than for Pb(II). (C) 2000 Elsevier Scie
nce S.A. All rights reserved.