Performance of Ex Situ Bismuth Film Rotating Disk Electrode in Trace Metal Analysis by Stripping Chronopotentiometry: Definition of the Depletion Regime and Optimization of Experimental Parameters

The potentiality of the ex situ deposited bismuth film electrode, allied to the rotation of a glassy carbon disk electrode (BiFE-RDE), was exploited in trace metal analyses of lead(II) and cadmium(II) by stripping chronopotentiometry (SCP). A single BiFE (6.2 nm film thickness) can be used for a 1-day term with no significant variation in the analytical signal. The limit of detection (30) for a deposition time of 40s and an oxidation current of 15x10(-9) A was 1.5x10(-8) M for Pb(II) and 3.0x10(-8) M for Cd(II). BiFE-RDE was successfully applied to the direct SCP determination of lead(II) in a fresh water certified material.