Calibration-free Solid-State Ion-Selective Electrode Based on a Polarized PEDOT/PEDOT-S-Doped Copolymer as Back Contact

Anal Chem. 2022 Jun 14;94(23):8302-8308. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c00748. Epub 2022 Jun 3.

Abstract

Solid-contact ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) have the inherent advantage of being miniaturized in addition to maintaining high selectivity and sensitivity of the ionophore-based ISE. The major disadvantage of ISEs is the necessity of performing a calibration curve (varying the intercept in the linear calibration curve equation) each time before running experiments, which limits their application as one-time disposable sensors or for use in remote water sample analysis. To overcome these challenges, we designed a unique back contact made of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) and 4-(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin-2-yl-methoxy)-1-butanesulfonic acid, sodium salt (EDOT-S). The calibration-free ISEs showed near Nernstian responses of 57.2 ± 0.2 mV/log [K+] and 28.5 ± 0.3 mV/log [Ca2+], while maintaining their respective selectivity against major interfering ions. The detection limits for Ca2+ and K+ ISEs were 0.45 ± 0.01 and 1.68 ± 0.18 μM, respectively. The charging cycles of the PEDOT: PEDOT-S back contact allowed us to fix the background potential at a desired fixed intercept value across different ionophores (K+, Ca2+). This protocol was used to determine the K+ and Ca2+ contents in creek water samples. The activity and concentration of [Ca2+] and [K+] in a local creek was found to be 257 ± 7.3 and 28.1 ± 1.1 μM, respectively.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic*
  • Calibration
  • Ion-Selective Electrodes*
  • Ionophores
  • Polymers
  • Water

Substances

  • Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic
  • Ionophores
  • Polymers
  • poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)
  • Water