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Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (ASV)

Accuracy and Approved Methods

Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (ASV)

Anodic Stripping Voltammetry is used to measure trace metals with the Nano-Band Electrodes. The Nano-Band Explorer Instruments and Software also support the following measurements:

  • Cathodic Stripping Voltammetry (CSV)
  • Cyclic Voltammetry (CV)
  • Amperometric
  • Potentiometric Stripping Analysis (PSA) (bench-top instrument only)
  • Transient (bench-top instrument only)

What are the detection limits?

With ASV, the measurement plating time is proportionate to the detection limit and, as such, longer plate times will increase the detection limit:

  • Part per million is instantaneous
  • Part per billion in 20 seconds or less
  • Part per trillion takes 1-3 minutes

What kind of sample preparation is required?

  • In General: no electrode rotation or sample de-oxygenation is required.
  • Clean samples: require no sample preparation other than the addition of a suitable supporting electrolyte.
  • Biological, Soil, Seawater and Dirty-Water: samples require wet acid digestion which can be greatly speeded by the concurrent use of UV digestion.

Why is ASV the most economical choice for ultra-sensitive measurements?

  • A quarter of the cost of AA systems
  • A tenth of the cost of ICP systems
  • Use one electrode to measure up to five metals
  • Robust electrodes can make thousands of measurements

How accurate is ASV?

Accuracy is proportionate to the way you calibrate your sample:

  • 5% when calibrated directly via the method of standard additions. The Explorer Software is optimized for and fully supports the method of standard additions
  • 10% when a calibration curve is built before measuring unknowns
  • 20% - 40% when operating uncalibrated

What are the measurement capabilities?

The Nano-Band Explorer measures lead, copper, zinc, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, thallium, and bismuth. Other built-in measurements include temperature, pH, and any other ion-selective electrodes (with available part to attach probes).

What are the interferences between metals?

  • No interference between Lead, Cadmium, Copper and Mercury
  • No interferences between Zinc, Lead, Cadmium and Mercury
  • No interference between Zinc and Copper at low concentrations
  • Bonus! The method is inherently tolerant of saline solutions: unlike Graphite AA techniques, salinity does not impact the accuracy or performance of the metals measurement