A Voltammetric System for Simultaneous Measurement of Several Samples

Abstract

A new electroanalytical system for parallel processing of several samples is described. The system is based on simultaneous measurement of currents in a number of voltammetric cells. Signals of current followers connected to each working electrode are read using a data acquisition card multiplexer. The current signals are therefore sampled separately in time and processed with a program PolarStation designed for the control of experiment and the data acquisition. Up to 8 electrode systems (16 theoretically) can be connected to the data acquisition card and therefore up to 8 samples processed simultaneously. The system was used for determination of heavy metals by differential pulse anodic dissolution voltammetry in natural and waste waters with throughput of more than 40 determinations per hour, which is comparable with flame AAS measurement. High sensitivity and low cost of analysis are retained.