In this work a novel method for introduction of ionophore and ion-exchanger to the ion-selective polyacrylate based membrane is proposed. These compounds (and optionally primary ions) are introduced to polyacrylate microspheres, used to prepare ion-selective membrane. The approach proposed here can be used to prepare membranes containing primary ions equally distributed through the receptor phase, i.e. membranes that do not require conditioning in primary ions solution and are free from problems related to slow diffusion of primary ions. Thus obtained sensors were characterized with linear responses (also at relatively high activities) and high selectivities, despite considerable reduction of ionophore and ion-exchanger amount introduced to the membrane.
To be able to prepare ion-selective membranes using this approach, a method for quantification of ionophore and ion-exchanger introduced into microspheres is required. In this work a novel method utilizing high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with DAD or FLD detection is proposed.
Incorporation of ionophore and ion-exchanger into the microspheres was achieved either by absorption into ready spheres or in course of photopolymerization of polymeric beads. The obtained results have proven that both procedures led to incorporation of ionophore/ion-exchanger into polymeric spheres, however, the content of the compounds in the spheres post process is different from their ratio in solution from which they had been introduced. These effects need to be considered/compensated while preparing microspheres containing ion-selective membranes.
As a model system poly(n-butyl acrylate) spheres, silver selective ionophore and sodium tetrakis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate were chosen, resulting ultimately in silver-selective electrodes.
