ISE Methods of Analysis
Inserting an Ion Selective Electrode into a clear and clean sample and obtaining a concentration reading is commonly known as Direct Potentiometry.
What if your sample was viscous or contained solids? What if the concentration was below or above the limits of the ISE? You will probably need an incremental technique.
METHODS OF ANALYSIS USING ION SELECTIVE ELECTRODES (ISE)
The most common technique is Direct Potentiometry. Here the ISE is used to create a Calibration using two or three standard solutions and reading an unknown sample directly. A very simple measurement if you have an Ion meter with a direct concentration mode such as the QP459 Portable ION Meter
What if the sample matrix is completely different to the standards? Is the result still valid?
Both Standards will be aqueous preparations and the Ionic strength can be corrected for by addition of ISAB. This however is not sufficient if the sample Matrix is significantly different e.g. In Wine where the Alcohol content will produce a potential of its own. Or viscous solutions where ionic mobility is compromised thereby reducing individual ionic activity.
In such cases we require the use of incremental techniques.
It is easy to be put off using these techniques just by looking at the calculations. Don’t be!! They are the simplest measurements to make in a practical sense and a result is produced by taking just two readings. Furthermore you don’t need an Ion Meter!!
Known Addition (Standard Addition).
Using a combination ISE and the QP459 meter in the Known Addition mode is the simplest way to run this method. Otherwise you can just use a mV meter and read the potential of a known volume of the sample solution. Add a known much smaller volume of standard solution, stir well and read the new potential. The difference between the two results will enable you to calculate the unknown concentration using the following equation:
Cu = Cs x [Vs/(Vu + Vs)] / [(10{(E2-E1)/ˢ}) – (Vu/(Vu + Vs))]
Where: Cu = Concentration of the sample.
Cs = Concentration of the standard.
Vs = volume of the standard.
Vu = volume of the sample
E1 = Electrode potential (mV) of the Sample.
E2 = Electrode potential after the Standard addition.
ˢ = the electrode slope.
On a practical level it is very simple to standardise the method so that the same volume of standard and sample are always used e.g. 50ml of Sample and 5 ml of Standard. The equation can therefore be simplified and reduced to a parabolic curve of F (Factor) against ∆E (E2-E1). Here the Concentration of the Standard is simply multiplied by a factor F to give you the concentration of the sample.
Cu = FCs.
You can produce then a standard addition table to make life easy for yourself:
Standard Addition Table:
∆ E (mV) | Factor | ∆ E (mV) | Factor |
1 | 1 | 11 | 0.16 |
2 | 0.696 | 12 | 0.145 |
3 | 0.529 | 13 | 0.133 |
4 | 0.423 | 14 | 0.121 |
5 | 0.351 | 15 | 0.112 |
6 | 0.297 | 16 | 0.103 |
7 | 0.257 | 17 | 0.0884 |
8 | 0.225 | 18 | 0.0822 |
9 | 0.199 | 19 | 0.0767 |
10 | 0.178 | 20 | 0.0716 |
Assumes a monovalent Ion with a perfect slope. Assumes a 10ml addition to a 100ml sample.
Example:
If you were determining the concentration of Sodium in Orange Juice for example all you need do is place the Sodium Combination ISE into 100ml of Orange Juice and read mV1. Add 10ml of a 1000 ppm Sodium Standard and read mV2.
Say ∆E (mV2-mV1) was 10mV then.
Concentration of Na in the Juice is 1000ppm x 0.178 = 178ppm
For help with your ISE method email [email protected]