The influence of incorporation of the dopants with proton-acceptor properties into perfluorosulfonic acid cation exchange membranes (MF-4SC and Nafion), and their treatment conditions on the characteristics of Donnan potential (DP)-sensors (analytical signal is the Donnan potential) in the aqueous solutions containing asparaginate and potassium ions in a wide pH range was investigated. A silica, surface modified by 3-aminopropyl and 3-(2-imidazolin-1-yl)-propyl groups, was used as the dopant. The membranes were subjected to mechanical deformation and thermal treatment at various relative humidities. The relationship between water uptake and diffusion permeability of membranes subjected to modification and treatment and the cross sensitivity of DP-sensors based on them to counter and co-ions was studied. The multisensory systems for the simultaneous determination of asparaginate and potassium ions in a concentration range from 1.0 × 10-4 to 1.0 × 10-2 M and pH range from 4 to 8 were developed. An array of cross-sensitive DP-sensors based on MF-4SC membranes containing 3 wt.% SiO2 modified by 10 mol.% 3-aminopropyl and 3-(2-imidazolin-1-yl)-propyl was used for the potassium asparaginate hemihydrate and magnesium asparaginate pentahydrate determination in Panangin® (with an error of 2 and 4%, respectively).
Keywords: DP-sensors; aspartic acid; cross sensitivity; membrane mechanical deformation; membrane thermal treatment; perfluorosulfonic acid cation exchange membranes; pharmaceuticals; potentiometric multisensory systems; silica.