Abstract

The construction and evaluation of a novel modified carbon paste electrode with high selectivity toward oxalate ion are described. The constructed carbon paste potentiometric sensor for oxalate ionis based on the use of a zirconium salan complex as a good ionophore in the carbon paste matrix. The electrode exhibits a Nernstian slope of 29.1 mV/decade to oxalate ion over a wide concentration range from 1.5×10(-6) to 3.9 ×10(-2) mol L(-1) with a low detection limit of 7.0×10(-7) mol L(-1). The electrode possesses fast response time, satisfactory reproducibility, appropriate lifetime, and most importantly, good selectivity toward C2O4(2-) relative to a variety of common anions. The potentiometric response of the electrode is independent of the pH of the test solution in the pH range 2.5-8.0. The modifiedcarbon paste electrode was successfully applied as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration and potentiometric determination of oxalate ion in mineral water, blood serum and urine samples.