Synthesis of a New Hexadendates Schiff's Base and Its Application in the Fabrication of a Highly Selective Mercury(II) Sensor

A new PVC membrane potentiometric sensor that is highly selective to Hg2+ ions was prepared, using bis(2-hydroxybenzophenone) butane-2,3-dihydrazone (HBBD) as an excellent hexadendates neutral carrier. The sensor works satisfactorily in the concentration range of 1.0 × 10-6 to 1.0 × 10-1 mol L-1 (detection limit 4 × 10-7 mol L-1) with a Nernstian slope of 29.7 mV per decade. This electrode showed a fast response time (~8 s) and was used for at least 12 weeks without any divergence. The sensor exhibits good Hg2+ selectivity for a broad range of common alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metal ions (lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, copper, nickel, cobalt, zinc, cadmium, lead and lanthanum). The electrode response is pH independent in the range of 1.5-4.0. Furthermore, the developed sensor was successfully used as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of mercury ions with potassium iodide and the direct determination of mercury in some binary and ternary mixtures.