Chronoamperometric study of elemental sulphur (S) nanoparticles (NPs) in NaCl water solution: new methodology for S NPs sizing and detection

Bura-Nakić, Elvira; Marguš, Marija; Jurašin, Darija; Milanović, Ivana; Ciglenečki-Jušić, Irena (2015) Chronoamperometric study of elemental sulphur (S) nanoparticles (NPs) in NaCl water solution: new methodology for S NPs sizing and detection. Geochemical Transactions, 16 . pp. 1-9. ISSN 1467-4866

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Abstract

Background: Elemental sulfur (S) persists in natural aquatic environment in a variety of forms with different size distributions from dissolved to particulate. Determination of S speciation mainly consists of the application of chromatographic and electrochemical techniques while its size determination is limited only to the application of microscopic and light scattering techniques. S biological and geochemical importance together with recent increases of S industrial applications requires the development of different analytical tools for S sizing and quantification. In recent years the use of electrochemical measurements as a direct, fast, and inexpensive technique for the different nanoparticles (NPs) characterization (Ag, Au, Pt) is increasing. In this work, electrochemical i.e. chronoamperometric measurements at the Hg electrode are performed for determination of the size distribution of the S NPs. Results: S NPs were synthesized in aqueous medium by sodium polysulphide acidic hydrolysis. Chronoamperometric measurements reveal the polydisperse nature of the formed suspension of S NPs. The electrochemical results were compared with dynamic light scattering measurements parallel run in the same S NPs suspensions. The two methods show fairly good agreement, both suggesting a log-normal size distribution of the S NPs sizes characterized by similar parameters. Conclusions: The preliminary results highlight the amperometric measurements as a promising tool for the size determination of the S NPs in the water environment.

Item Type:

Article

Uncontrolled Keywords:

elemental sulphur (S) nanoparticles; chronoamperometry; nanoparticles sizing and detection

Subjects:

NATURAL SCIENCES > Chemistry

Divisions:

Division for Marine and Enviromental Research

Projects:

Project title	Project leader	Project code	Project type
Surfactants, processes in solutions and at interfaces (Površinski aktivne tvari, procesi u otopinama i na međupovršinama)-	Maja Dutour Sikirić	098-0982915-2949	MZOS
Nature of organic matter, interaction with traces and surfaces in environment (Priroda organske tvari, interakcije s mikrokonstituentima i površinama u okolišu)-	Irena Ciglenečki-Jušić	098-0982934-2717	MZOS
Kruženje sumpora i ugljika u morskom i slatkovodnom okolišu	Irena Ciglenečki-Jušić	IP-11-2013-1205	HRZZ