Review article

Measurements of Copper in Seawater: The Use and Misuse of the Ion-Selective Electrode

D. J. Mackey ; CSIRO, Division of Marine Research, G.P.O.B. 1538, Hobart 7001, Australia
R. De Marco ; School of Applied Chemistry, Curtin University of Technology, G.P.O.B. U 1987, Perth 6001, Australia

Abstract

Conventional wisdom holds that the copper Ion Selective Electrode (CuISE) is unsuitable for measurements in seawater because of a wide range of effects including; interference by chloride ion, electrode drift, sub- and super-Nemstian response, contamination of the sample and, a lack of sensitivity. While all of these effects have undoubtedly been observed, there have also been reports indicating that the CuISE can give Nemstian response, at 29 mV/decade, down to very low concentrations of free copper ions in saline buffers. The application of experimental techniques for studying changes on membrane surfaces, as well as the use of »clean« techniques that have become standard for studying trace metals at very low concentrations, have enabled us to better understand the processes which lead to the problems listed above. In this paper, we review some of the the literature on the topic and suggest that it may indeed be possible to use the CuISE to provide reliable measurements of copper speciation in marine and estuarine waters.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

135615

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/135615

Publication date:

3.4.1997.

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