Simple Electrochemical Determination of Surface-Active Substances in Natural Waters

A simple electrochemical determination of surface-active substances by using time-dependent variation of the capacitive current in a.c. voltammetry at the HMDE is described. Surface-active substances were accumulated by stirring solution at the deposition potential of −0.6 V versus Ag/AgCl (sat. NaCl). The capacitive current was recorded for different deposition times in the range 0–120 s, wherefrom the linear calibration plot is constructed. The proposed method was verified for model surfactant TritonX-100 in the concentration range 0.02–0.25 mg/L and for humic acid in the concentration range 1.65–20 mg/L. The application of the method was demonstrated for freshwater samples of the Drava river, Danube river, and the wetland Kopacki Rit, Croatia. The shape of the i ac -E curves as well as the obtained concentrations of surface-active substances by using humic acid as the calibration substance are quite well describing the type and the nature of organic matter in the freshwater samples.