Amperometric method

Abstract: An amperometric cell (1, 2) for determining the concentr­ ation of a strongly oxidizing or strongly reducing chemic­ al agent (RA) in a fluid (SF) external to said cell; said cell comprising a sensing electrode (10, 20) and a counter electrode (12, 22) each having a surface (100, 120; 200, 220) exposed to an aqueous electrolyte (15, 25) which is separated from said fluid by a membrane (18, 28) that is permeable to said strongly oxidizing or reducing agent in said fluid but is substantially impermeable to said aque­ ous electrolyte; the aqueous electrolyte (15) contains a redox catalyst (RED/OX) for chemically transforming said strongly oxidizing or strongly reducing agent (RA) within aid cell (1, 2) into an intermediary electroactive species capable of generating an indicative electrical signal in proportion with said concentration of said strongly oxidiz­ ing or strongly reducing agent. The cell can be used, e.g., as an ozone monitor; calbration methods with and without direct use of the reactive chemic­ al agent are disclosed.

Description: The invention concerns a method of determining the concentration of a strongly reactive chemical agent in a fluid by means of an amperometric cell. GB-A-2 015 744 discloses a device for measuring chlorine, a highly reactive chemical substance; the device comprises a sensing electrode and a counter electrode each having a surface exposed to an aqueous electrolyte which is separated from said fluid by a membrane that is permeable to chlorine dioxide but is substantially impermeable to the aqueous electrolyte. Calibration of the device does not present a particular problem since chlorine dioxide solutions of known concentration can be used as standards for calibration if such calibration is required before actual measurement. GB-A-1 533 194 discloses a sensor for sensing hydrogen or hydrogen-containing substances as species of analytical interest in the presence of oxygen. A catalyst is employed to react with any oxygen present so that the species of interest can be sensed without prior separation of the oxgen present in the sample. Thus, a mixture of the species of interest with air can be used for calibration of this essentially qualitative method. In any case, the species of interest in this approach is present in the sample used for calibration of the sensor. US-A-4 427 772 discloses an apparatus for determining a concentration of hydrogen peroxide comprising an automatic calibration system for keeping constant the sensitivity of the oxygen detector used to determine the amount of oxygen produced by decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide. In connection with applicants research in the area of measuring concentrations of highly reactive chemical substances calibration was found to be a problem whenever the chemical substance is as reactive as, typically, ozone which is capable of oxidizing water. In such cases, standardized samples are not suitable and in situ calibration in an ordinary measuring environment may be difficult or impossible. The method of determining the concentration of a strongly reactive chemical agent in a fluid according to the invention can be operated with any prior art device that comprises a sensing electrode and a counter electrode, each having a surface exposed to an aqueous electrolyte which is separated from said fluid by a membrane that is permeable to said strongly reactive chemical agent in said fluid but is substantially impermeable to said aqueous electrolyte; the method comprises a calibration step and a measuring step and is characterized by (I) effecting said calibration step by applying a first voltage to said cell and exposing it to an external calibration fluid that is substantially free of said strongly reactive chemical agent and contains a known concentration of an electroactive calibration species capable of permeating into said cell and of reacting at said sensing electrode to obtain a first or calibration signal that is indicative of a first rate P¹ of permeation of said electroactive calibration species into said cell; (II) invoking a factor derived from a previously determined permeation rate P² of said strongly reactive chemical agent and from a previously determined permeation rate P³ of said electroactive calibration species, both P² and P³ being determined with a membrane as used for obtaining said first or calibration signal; (III) effecting said measuring step by operating said cell while exposed to an external unknown sample at a second voltage capable of causing electrical reaction of said strongly reactive chemical agent, or of an intermediary electroactive species formed by chemical reaction of said agent with said electrolyte, to generate a second or measuring signal; and (IV) compensating said second signal for temperature effects and for correlation with said factor to obtain an output that is indicative of the concentration of said strongly reactive chemical agent in said external unknown sample. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the strongly reactive chemical agent is ozone. For most purposes of the invention the calibration fluid is ambient air and the electroactive calibration species is oxygen. The invention will be explained in more detail by way of example and not limitation with reference to the annexed drawings in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a membrane-enclosed amperometric cell or MEAC including an electrolyte for use in the invention and shown in a simplified and fragmented presentation; Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 but with an optional guard electrode; Figures 3A, 3B and 3C are graphs to illustrate certain functions involving a cell current; Figure 4 is a diagram showing the means for absolute calibration of a membrane-enclosed cell and Figure 5 is a diagram showing the means for a relative calibration of an ozone sensor. DETAILED DISCUSSION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS While the invention is not restricted with regard to a specific reactive substance, the subsequent discussion will center around the quantitative determination of ozone. Now, with reference to Fig. 1, cell 1 includes a sensing electrode 10 having an electroanalytical surface 100 laterally defined by an insulator 11. In amperometry by electroreduction of an electroactive species of interest or EASI the sensing electrode 10 is the cathode; in amperometry by electro-oxidation the sensing electrode 10 is the anode. Preferably, the sensing electrode 10 is made of a metal that is chemically inert and a noble metal, gold and gold alloys are preferred for many purposes. The counter electrode 12 surrounds the insulator 11 and an electrically insulating jacket 17 is provided at the outside of cell 1. Membrane 18 is held on top of cell 1 by means of a holding ring 19. An aqueous electrolyte 15 containing a redox catalyst RED/OX as a solute and in substantially homogeneous distribution is in contact with the surfaces 100, 120 of sensing electrode 10, counter electrode 12 and with the "inner" surface 180 of membrane 18. A predetermined potential between sensing electrode 10 and counter electrode 12 is applied via conduits 101, 121 and the same conduits serve to convey an indicative current signal. Temperature sensing means (not shown) may be provided in a manner known per se. An external sample fluid SF is in contact with the external surface 181 of membrane 18. A reactive agent RA, e.g. a strongly reducing or strongly oxidizing substance, such as ozone, contained in the sample fluid SF permeates membrane 18 because of normal diffusion phenomena. Upon physical contact of the RA with the RED/OX in electrolyte 15, the RA will be transformed, by chemical reaction with the RED/OX, into a transfer species. In the case of ozone (O₃) as RA in the presence of oxygen (O₂) the RED/OX enters directly into the ozone detection process as follows: O₃ + γ₁ RED → O₂ + γ₂ OX in solution γ₂ OX + 2e → γ₁ RED at the electrode γ₁ and γ₂ are stoichiometric coefficients. For satisfactory operation in ozone detection RED/OX should have the following properties: Its redox potential should be as far cathodic as possible (at the pH existing in the sensor) compared to the O₃/O₂ potential. This is required for fast reaction between the O₃ and the RED state of the RED/OX. In acid solution = 2.07 V; in basic solution = 1.24 V. With a conventional chloride as RED and one of its oxidation states, e.g. the hypochlorite ion as OX, the E O of -0.89 V of the Cl⁻/ClO⁻ transformation would be too close to the O₃ potential, and no significant oxidation would occur. For ozone detection, the redox potential of RED/OX should, preferably, not be so far cathodic that RED can be rapidly oxidized by O₂. The values are = 1.23 V in acid and = 0.401 V in base. For ozone detection with a cell 1 a suitable RED/OX catalyst should generally have a potential that is more anodic than about 0.75 V. On the other hand, RED/OX catalysts with more cathodic potentials might react very slowly with O₂, e.g. because of kinetic limitations, yet react quickly with O₃. The OX form of the RED/OX catalyst should not react with water or hydroxide ions, or react but with an insignificant speed. In other words, the presence of the RED/OX catalyst should not significantly catalyze the oxidation of water by ozone. Preferably, the chemistry of the RED/OX catalyst should be as simple as possible to avoid complications if a number of oxidized species could be formed from RED since not all of these might be reducible at the sensing electrode 10. Since the counter electrode 12 of cell 1 contacts the electrolyte 15 the RED/OX can react directly at the anode surface 120: γ₁ RED - 2e → γ₂ OX This reaction should be compatible with general operating conditions of cell 1, of course. Finally, when measuring ozone (or similar strongly oxidizing chemical agents) as RA, the reduction of the latter tends to raise the pH of the aqueous electrolyte 15, e.g.: O₃ + 2H⁺ + 2e → O₂ + H₂O in acid or O₃ + H₂O + 2e → O₂ + 2OH⁻ in alkali. Hence, RED/OX must not suffer hydrolysis nor be incompatible in any way with electrolyte 15, e.g. when the latter is alkaline. With a bromide salt as a preferred RED/OX in electrolyte 15 for measurement of ozone as RA in gaseous phase or dissolved in a normally liquid substance, such as typically water or aqueous media and, practically unavoidable, in the presence of elemental oxygen O₂, the following potentials are found (at room temperature) in an alkaline electrolyte 15: O₃ + H₂O + 2e → O₂ + 2OH⁻ 1.24 V O₂ + 2H₂O + 4e → 4OH⁻ 0.401 V Br⁻ + 6OH⁻ → BrO₃⁻ + 3H₂O + 6e 0.61 V Br⁻ + 2OH⁻ → BrO⁻ + H₂O + 2e 0.76 V 2Br⁻ → Br₂ (aq) + 2e 1.087 V O₃ + 1/3Br⁻ → O₂ + 1/3BrO₃⁻ Hence, although Br⁻ is oxidizable by O₃, it is stable with respect to O₂. Preferably, with a bromide salt as RED/OX in an electrolyte, the OX state should be the bromate ion BrO₃⁻ which does not react with water to any significant extent. It is also required that the presence of the redox catalyst in the electrochemical cell should not interfere in any way with the intended reaction at the counter electrode. For detection of strongly oxidizing species, this reaction is conveniently chosen to be the dissolution of a "consumable" or "reactive" metal anode. Silver or a silver alloy is particularly preferred as an anode metal and in this case the use of a high concentration of a bromide salt as redox catalyst is particularly convenient since the resulting precipitate of silver bromide adheres to the silver and hence removes potentially interfering silver ions from the electrolyte Ag + Br⁻ → AgBr + e. Such a counter electrode 12 is stable. Preferred bromide salts are those that are stable in alkaline solution, e.g. those of the alkali metals Na and K. KBr is a preferred catalyst. Generally, it has been found that the reaction of O₃ + Br⁻ in cell 1 is rapid and that the reduction of BrO₃⁻ to Br⁻ in cell 1 is also satisfactory. The MEAC 2 shown in Fig. 2 includes all elements of cell 1 of Fig. 1 and same elements are indicated by the same second digits in the reference numerals, e.g. the sensing electrode 10 of cell 1 is the sensing electrode 20 of cell 2, the counter electrode 12 corresponds with electrode 22, membrane 18 with 28 and, of course, electrolyte 15 with electrolyte 25 and, again, the external sample SF contains a reactive agent RA which reacts chemically with the catalyst RED/OX provided in electrolyte 25 of a cell 2. The additional element of cell 2 is a guard electrode 24, an additional insulator layer 23 (since insulator 21 is now between sensing electrode 20 and guard electrode 24) between the guard 24 and counter electrode 22 and an additional lead 241 for maintaining the guard electrode at a predetermined potential, e.g. substantially the potential at the sensing electrode. The guard 24 - actually its electrolyte-exposed surface 240 - is intended to preclude that electroactive species arrive at surface 200 of sensing electrode 20 except directly from the layer of electrolyte between surface 200 and the geometrically corresponding portion of the inner surface 280 of membrane 28. It is to be noted that MEACs having the general structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are obtainable commercially, e.g. for oxygen sensing, from ORBISPHERE LABORATORIES (Geneva, Switzerland) and that such MEACs can be converted into ozone detecing MEACs. Details of preferred structural features of and peripheral devices for the commercially available sensors can be found in the patent literature, e.g. in U.S. Patents Nos. 4,096,047, 4,153,149, 4,563,249, 4,585,542, German Patents Nos. 2,851,447, 4,339,634, European Patents Nos. 0 043 611 and 0 085 450. Further, the electrical guard of the MEAC of Fig. 2 might be modified as shown in European Patent No. 0 205 399. Accordingly, these features shall not be discussed herein. For example, conversion of a commercially available oxygen sensor of the type mentioned above into a MEAC for quantitative ozone measurement will normally require but an exchange of the catalyst and of the membrane when relative calibration is to be used at the measuring site. Since calibration of ozone detection devices is a particular and hitherto incompletely resolved problem, this aspect will now be explained in some detail. First, a method of "absolute calibration" will be explained with reference to Fig. 4. Apparatus 4 shown therein includes a conventional ozone generator or ozonator 41 supplied via conduit 42 with a stream of oxygen or air. The ozone-containing gas stream is fed via conduit 43 through a flow meter 441, and a number of valves, e.g. 444 and 442 or 446 are provided in conduit 44 which then opens into a titration vessel 45. The latter includes a magnetic stirring equipment 46, a syringe 47 for introduction of a chemical titration agent, and an ozone detecting MEAC 48. A feed-on line 49 is provided with a valve 492 for venting the titration vessel. The ozonator 41 converts a fraction of the oxygen supplied via conduit 42 into ozone. The magnitude of the fraction depends upon the flow rate of gas as well as the settings of controls on the ozonator; hence, the flow meter 441 is a necessary element of apparatus 4. Although the fraction can remain constant over the short term, it tends to vary by as much as ± 20 % over the long term. Needle valves 442 and 444 enable some of the O₃/O₂ mixture to be flushed through the titration vessel. By closing first valve 446 then valve 492, a fixed volume of this mixture, at a known pressure, can be isolated in vessel 45. Assuming that the volume V of vessel 45 is filled with an O₃/O₂ gas mixture at total pressure P t and that the partial pressures and mole fractions of the component gases are The ozone sensor or MEAC 48 exposed to the mixture produces a current wherein k is the sensitivity (µ A/bar) of MEAC 48. Assuming that a volume v of a solution of sodium arsenite (or another known reducing agent) at a concentration C molar equivalents per unit volume is added to the gas volume, and since the number of equivalents of arsenite is C·v, the same number of moles of O₃ is removed, the number of moles of O₃ remaining is This ozone is now distributed between the gas and liquid phases. What is needed is to know how the gas is distributed in order to calculate the partial pressure of ozone in the gas phase. Assuming equilibrium between gas and liquid (after completion of the reaction) and a negligible rate of decomposition of the ozone in the liquid, the dissolved concentration of O₃, is related to the new partial pressure of O₃ in the gas by: wherein is the solubility of ozone in the liquid. So: that is: The new current I from the ozone sensor is: This is the equation for the relationship between the sensor current and the volume of reducing agent added. The unknowns are k, the sensitivity of the sensor, and the original number of moles of ozone in the volume V. According to the foregoing equation it should be possible to construct a straight-line plot of the form shown in Fig. 2A of the drawings. In practice, one finds that experimental data at low volumes of added reducing agent fit this model but data near the end point of the titration are distorted due to continuous decomposition of ozone in the aqueous phase. It is preferred, therefore, to make an addition v₁ of reducing agent which is well below the final volume equivalent to the original ozone. Let the current after this addition be I₁; then the formula gives a good estimate of the original number of moles of ozone in the volume V. The mole fraction of ozone in the original mixture is: wherein N t is the total number of moles of gas (including oxygen and any other components of the mixture) in the volume. N t can be calculated assuming the mixture to be an ideal gas: N t = P t V/RT. Hence, can be calculated. The percentage by volume of ozone in the original mixture is Finally, the sensitivity of the ozone sensor can also be calculated: permitting calibration of MEAC 48. A specific example will be given below. Absolute calibration of a MEAC for quantitative ozone determination according to the invention could be done with liquid samples, i.e. ozone dissolved in water. In view of the tendency of ozone to react with water, it is an advantage of the invention that absolute calibration with gaseous samples is feasible. Since there is a known relationship between the compositions of gaseous and aqueous media which would generate the same current in an ozone sensing MEAC the signal obtained can be calibrated to an aqueous concentration even though the MEAC is calibrated in a gaseous sample. According to Henry's law, the concentration C of ozone in water which would produce the same sensor current as a gas at a pressure P containing a percentage x of ozone would be given by: wherein are the molecular weights of ozone and water, respectively, and K H is the usual Henry's law constant. Concentration values can be calculated from this formula for a gas containing 1 % by volume ozone (x = 1), for various total pressures P (mbar) and temperatures t (°C). In the calculation of these tabulated values of C, a formula for K H can be taken from Roth, J. A. and Sullivan, D. L., IUPAC Solubility Data Series, Vol. 7 (oxygen and ozone), page 474, Pergammon Press, Oxford 1981. According to the invention, a MEAC for quantitative ozone determination can be calibrated by a "relative" method, i.e. in the absence of ozone and on the basis of a predetermined ratio of the permeation rate of ozone through a given membrane material, on the one hand, and the permeation rate of oxygen through the same membrane material, on the other hand. Since the normal oxygen concentration of air is universally constant, simple calibration in air is possible according to the invention in on-site ozone detection on the basis of absolute measurements made under fully reproducible laboratory conditions. Fig. 5 shows a diagram of an apparatus 5 embodying this aspect. It includes a MEAC 51 according to the invention as explained in connection with Fig. 1 having a sensing electrode (cathode 511) and a counter electrode (anode 512). A first switch means 52 is provided to alternatively connect anode 512 with a first source 53 for a predetermined voltage for oxygen detection or a second source 54 for a predetermined voltage for ozone detection. Cathode 511 of MEAC 51, on the other hand, is connected with a current-to-voltage converter 55 having its output connected with a second switch means 56 for alternatively connecting the signal current either with a compensation amplifier 57 for oxygen (e.g. for temperature compensation) or with a compensation amplifier 58 for ozone. Both amplifiers 57, 58 are connected with a display or recorder for the final output signal. Typically, a voltage of -0.25 V applied to anode 512 will cause MEAC 51 to detect ozone alone while raising the anode voltage to +0.7 V enables the reaction of either or both of oxygen and ozone at the cathode. Switch 52 selects the appropriate voltage, instrument gain and temperature coefficient for the correct display at 59 or the concentrations of the two gases in whatever units are chosen. The converter 55 holds cathode 511 of MEAC 51 at ground potential, hence maintaining the cell voltage constant no matter what current flows. It also converts the current into a proportional voltage. The amplifiers 57, 58 may perform merely a temperature compensation or/and a correlation of the sensor current. This is necessary because the rate of permeation of the gases through the sensor membrane varies with temperature and because a correlation with permeation rates may be needed if "indirect" or "air calibration" is used. Generally, the amplifiers 57, 58 may perform other temperature dependent tasks such as the conversion of the directly measurable "fugacity" of the gas (that is, the number of collisions of gas molecules with unit area of the membrane, per unit time) into units of concentration such as milligrams of gas per kilogram of solution. These temperature effects differ for oxygen and for ozone, hence the current has to be routed through different circuit elements when calibrating in air and when measuring ozone. This rerouting is handled by one pole of the second switch 56 in Fig. 5. One convenient way of performing temperature compensation is to include thermistors as negative feedback of the second amplifier 58. Such techniques are well known to persons skilled in the art. Other configurations of the circuit shown in Fig. 5 are possible. For example, it is feasible to combine the temperature compensation function with the current to voltage conversion. The "relative" method according to the invention for calibration of a MEAC on-site, preferably with the oxygen content of ambient air as the calibrating standard, is based on the fact that the ratio of the permeation rates P x , P y of any two different gases x, y through the same membrane is roughly constant: Thus, k is a characteristic of the membrane material. In particular, then the number of molecules of oxygen which permeate per second, per unit partial pressure difference and per square centimeter through any given membrane should bear a substantially constant ratio to the number of ozone molecules permeating under the same conditions: The permeation rates of oxygen and ozone were measured through twenty different membranes made from perfluoroalkoxy teflon (Du Pont de Nemours) all nominally 25.4 um. Oxygen permeation rates varied from and ozone permeation rates from The ratio varied in the range: Individual permeation rates vary by ± 10 %, yet their ratio varies by only ± 5 %. The individual permeation rates and their ratio vary with temperature. This fact is exploited for "relative" calibration according to the invention. In essence, this requires determination of the permeation rate of ozone through the sensor membrane. From the foregoing it follows that one can instead determine the permeation rate of oxygen, then apply the factor to calculate what would be the permeation rate of ozone with an uncertainty of only about ± 5 %. Determination of the permeation rate of oxygen through the sensor membrane is, of course, much simpler than that of ozone because the air provides a source of a known oxygen partial pressure. On the other hand, determination of the ozone partial pressure in the gas issuing from an ozonator is not a simple task for use in on-site ozone detection. For practicing such relative or "air calibration" of an ozone sensor the switches 52 and 56 are each marked in the appropriate switching positions as "Air Calibration" and "Ozone Measurement". For "Air Calibration", the -0.7 V voltage is applied to anode 512 and the output from the converter 55 is compensated in a manner known per se, e.g. by digital or analogue means, for the effects of temperature upon the oxygen permeability of the membrane, and the gain of the amplifier 57 is adjusted to produce a correct signal for the oxygen content of the external sample, preferably air. This may involve adjustment of a potentiometer (not shown in Fig. 5) to cause fine tuning of the gain. Upon exposure to air for "relative" calibration a preset setting can be used. Upon switching to the "Ozone Measurement" position, a voltage of +0.25 Volts is applied to the cathode 511 with respect to the Ag/AgBr anode 512; then, the sensor current is appropriately compensated for the effects of temperature upon the ozone permeability of the membrane and for correlation with a factor derived from the previously determined permeation rates of the membrane material in question for oxygen and ozone. In this manner, the ozone content of the sample can be displayed at output 59 with a potential error of generally below ± 5 %. Figures 3A and 3B are shown to illustrate the current function in absolute calibration (Fig. 3A) by chemical titration using the MEAC as an end point indication in line with the calculations explained above. Fig. 3B, on the other hand, is to explain that a MEAC will be selective for ozone in the presence of elemental oxygen by selecting an appropriate cell voltage. With a voltage of typically in the range of from +400 mV to +50 mV (sensing electrode is positive) with respect to an Ag/AgBr electrode, on the other hand, a current rise due to the reduction of O₂ is noticeable at potentials more negative (cathodic) than 50 mV. Hence, the area or plateau D¹ left of the Zero potential line represents the diffusion-limited reduction of ozone at a chosen potential of, say, +250 mV while the plateau at the right side represents the diffusion-limited reduction of ozone plus oxygen. The ordinate i represents the current which, in actual practice, would be much higher with regard to the oxygen current than the ozone current since the latter will normally be accompanied by an excess of oxygen. Generally, for determining strongly oxidizing chemical agents with a MEAC including a redox catalyst dissolved in the electrolyte, the electrolyte will be alkaline (above pH = 7) with a first indirect calibrating voltage between Zero and -1.5 V and a second or measuring voltage between Zero and +1.5 V. For determining strongly reducing chemical agents the electrolyte will, in general, be acid (less than pH = 7) with a first or indirect calibrating voltage between Zero V and +1.5 V and a second or measuring voltage between -1.5 V and Zero V. Specific examples are given below. Example 1 The apparatus used was essentially as shown in Fig. 4. The MEAC 48 was a sensor, Model 28031, by ORBISPHERE LABORATORIES, Geneva, Switzerland, with a sensing electrode of gold (area 0.3142 cm²) and an anode of silver supplied with an aqueous electrolyte composed of 0.6 gram per liter of KOH and 120 gram per liter of KBr. The membrane had a thickness of 25.4 µm and consisted of commercial perfluoroalkoxy teflon, e.g. TEFLON PFA (trademark by Du Pont). An ozone containing gas mixture was enclosed in the titration vessel 45 having a 197 ml volume at 25°C and at 0.972 bars pressure. The initial indication on the ozone analyzer with the sensor exposed to this mixture was 2.47 µA. An addition of 2.354 ml of 0.1 molar ferrous sulphate solution in water was made and the analyzer indication changed to 0.922 µA. Application of the foregoing formulae results in the following values: Hence, the original gas mixture is revealed to have contained 2.42 % by volume of ozone using this titration method in which the MEAC 48 is used as an end point indicator. The gas mixture was produced by a commercial ozonator, type BLl (Blatter AG, Basel, Switzerland), operated at 180 V with 50 liter/hour pure O₂. Example 2 The apparatus used was essentially as shown in Fig. 5. The permeation factor k was determined from the ozone permeation rate as obtained in Example 1; the oxygen permeation rate was 1.06·10⁻⁹ mol/(cm²·s·bar), giving a ratio Then, the MEAC was first calibrated in air and subsequently exposed to an ozone/oxygen mixture as used in Example 1. The results were as follows: This same gas mixture was titrated with ferrous sulphate, as already described in Example 1, reading sensor current instead of the indicated partial pressure of ozone. Hence, the results of the two independent methods of calibration, namely 2.42 % by volume by titration and 2.39 % by volume by air calibration compare favorably. Repetition of this operation yielded a reproducibility of ± 5 %. Example 3 An apparatus substantially as shown in Fig. 4 was used to calibrate a MEAC 48 for measuring ozone according to the invention. The titration vessel 45 was a flask having a volume of 186.2 ml immersed in a constant temperature bath at 25°C. A gas stream containing ozone produced in a standard ozonator (Type BLl, Blatter AG, Basel, Switzerland) was flushed through the flask until the MEAC 48 gave a constant signal of 2.95 µA; then, two milliliters of (0.05 mol/liter sodium arsenite) reducing agent was added and vigorously stirred with the magnetic stirring bar. The output from the amperometric sensor diminished to 1.448 µA in 3 minutes. Assuming complete oxidation of arsenic(III) to As(V) by the ozone: NaAsO₂ + O₃ + H₂O → NaH₂AsO₄ + O₂ the number of moles of ozone removed is: 0.002 x 0.05 = 0.0001 moles. This numer of moles of ozone was responsible for the incremental current: 2.95 - 1.448 = 1.502 µA. Hence, the original current of 2.95 µA was generated by The results of this titration were plotted as shown in Fig. 3C to represent a calibration curve for MEAC 48. Various modifications of the devices and examples will be apparent to one skilled in the art. For example, membranes made of other polymers, e.g. FEP TEFLON (polymer of fluorinated ethylene/propylene), TEFZEL (copolymer of ethylene and tetrafluoro ethylene) or other polymer membranes known to be suitable for oxygen detection could be used provided they are substantially inert to ozone at the ozone concentration of interest. Generally, all components except the redox catalyst should not undergo any significant change upon use under the operatin conditions of the MEAC for determining the strongly oxidizing or strongly reducing chemical agents.

Claims: A method of determining the concentration of a strongly reactive chemical agent in a fluid by means of an amperometric cell (1) comprising a sensing electrode (10) and a counter electrode (12) each having a surface (100, 120) exposed to an aqueous electrolyte (15) which is separated from said fluid by a membrane (18) that is permeable to said strongly reactive chemical agent in said fluid but is substantially impermeable to said aqueous electrolyte; said method comprising a calibration step and a measuring step; characterized by (I) effecting said calibration step by applying a first voltage to said cell and exposing it to an external calibration fluid that is substantially free of said strongly reactive chemical agent and contains a known concentration of an electroactive calibration species capable of permeating into said cell and of reacting at said sensing electrode to obtain a first or calibration signal that is indicative of a first rate P¹ of permeation of said electroactive calibration species into said cell; (II) invoking a factor derived from a previously determined permeation rate P² of said strongly reactive chemical agent and from a previously determined permeation rate P³ of said electroactive calibration species, both P² and P³ being determined with a membrane as used for obtaining said first or calibration signal; (III) effecting said measuring step by operating said cell while exposed to an external unknown sample at a second voltage capable of causing electrical reaction of said strongly reactive chemical agent, or of an intermediary electroactive species formed by chemical reaction of said agent with said electrolyte, to generate a second or measuring signal; and (IV) compensating said second signal for temperature effects and for correlation with said factor to obtain an output that is indicative of the concentration of said strongly reactive chemical agent in said external unknown sample. The method of claim wherein said strongly reactive chemical agent is ozone. The method of any of claims 1 or 2 wherein said calibration fluid is ambient air and wherein said electroactive calibration species is oxygen.

Inventors: HALE JOHN MARTIN DR, HALE, JOHN MARTIN, DR.
Applicants: ORBISPHERE LAB INC WILMINGTON, ORBISPHERE LABORATORIES (INC.), WILMINGTON, SUCCURSALE DE COLLONGE-BELLERIVE
Application year: 1988
Main classification: G01N27
IPC codes: G01N27