Voltammetry in Determination of Trace Amounts of Lanthanides—A Review

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of approaches proposed in the scientific literature for the voltammetric determination of rare earth elements (mainly cerium and europium individually, as well as various lanthanides simultaneously) in manifold kinds of samples. The work is divided into chapters describing the most important aspects affecting the sensitivity of the proposed methods: the technique adopted (AdSV, ASV, CSV), complexing agents used, the kind of working electrode (mercury-based, noble metal or carbon electrodes) and the most popular electrode modifiers (e.g., metal film, carbon nanotubes, molecularly imprinted polymers). Analytical parameters of the procedures presented in the paper are collected in tables. The subsequent chapters are devoted to a detailed discussion of potential inorganic and organic interfering factors. The possibilities of simultaneous determination of several lanthanides in one sample and the influence of other lanthanides on the determined rare earth element were also discussed. Finally, the applications of the voltammetric procedures to the determination of rare earth metals in real samples with miscellaneous matrix is described. All analytical results were tabulated in order to compare the analytical suitability of the proposed procedures.

Innovative Use of Carbon Nanotubes in Electrochemical Sensors for the Analysis of Europium in Samples from the Environment

“…The complexing agents used for the determination of rare Earth elements were as follows: for La(III), Dy (III), Ho(III), Er(III), Tm(III), Yb(III), Lu(III) ions − Alizarin, for Ce(III), Sc(III) ions − Alizarin S, for Yb(III) ion-a mixed complex of 2−thenoyltrifluoroacetone and polyethylene glycol (TTA−PAG ligand), for Y(III), Dy(III), Ho(III), Yb(III) ions − Solochrome Violet RS (SVRS), for La(III), Ce(III), Pr(III) ions − o−cresolphthalexon (OCP) and for La(III), Tb(III), and Yb(III) ions − Mordant Red 19 (MR19). 8 A very popular complexing agent in adsorption stripping voltammetry is cupferron. In the case of rare Earth elements, it has been found useful for the determination of Eu (III), to which this work is devoted.…”

“…As reported in the literature, the threshold value for europium is 6 mg l −1 . [4][5][6][7][8] Quantitative analysis of europium is carried out as part of environmental quality studies and risk assessment for human and ecosystem health. Various analytical techniques for the determination of europium are described.…”

A Convenient Strategy for the Voltammetric Direct Determination of Ce(III) in Environmental Waters Using a Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Modified Screen-Printed Carbon Electrode

“…The main advantages of voltammetric procedures are, first and foremost, the low cost of the apparatus, the possibility of taking measurements in the field and, very importantly, the possibility of obtaining very low detection limits. Due to its numerous advantages, the stripping voltammetry method is very often used especially for the determination of trace concentrations of many metals [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ].…”