Voltammetry of Benzo[A]pyrene in Aqueous and Nonaqueous Media: Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetric Determination at Pencil Graphite Electrode

Abstract

A detailed study of the electrochemical oxidation of Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) at the glassy carbon and pencil graphite electrodes was carried out in aqueous and nonaqueous media. Using square-wave stripping mode, the compound yielded a well-defined voltammetric response at pencil graphite electrode in acetate buffer, pH 4.8 at +1.13 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) (a preconcentration step being carried out at a fixed potential of +0.70 V for 180 s). The process could be used to determine BaP concentrations in the range 0.25-1.25 mu M, with a detection limit of 0.027 mu M (6.82 mu g L-1). The applicability to assay of spiked human urine samples was also illustrated.