Novel screen-printed electrode for the determination of dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide in water samples

The construction and electrochemical response characteristics of a screen-printed electrode (SPE) for the determination of dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) are described. The sensor was based on the use of DTA-tetraphenylborate ion association complex as an electroactive material in screen-printed electrode with dioctylsebacate (DOS) as a solvent mediator. In aqueous solution of pH 3, the sensor displayed a stable response for six months with reproducible potential and linear response for surfactant over the concentration range 1.20?x?10-2-5.6?x?10-7?mol L-1 at 25?degrees C with Nernstian slope of 55.95?+/-?0.58?mV decade-1 for detection limit of 6.8 x 10-6?mol L-1. The response time was 610?s. The selectivity coefficients indicate excellent selectivity for DTAB over many common cations (e.g. Mg2+, Na+, K+, Co2+, Ni2+ , Ca2+, Cl-, I-, SO4-2 and cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC). The sensor was used successfully for the determining of DTAB in pure form and water samples with average recoveries of 99.98, 98.78, and 99.99%. Copyright (c) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.