Batch and flow measurement of hydrogen ions in highly acidic media using 2-(4-methoxy phenyl) 6-(4-nitrophenyl)-4-phenyl-1,3-diazabicyclo [3.1.0] hex-3-ene as an H+-selective ionophore

A hydrogen ion-selective poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane electrode was developed using 2-(4-methoxy phenyl) 6-(4-nitrophenyl)-4-phenyl-1,3-diazabicyclo [3.1.0] hex-3-ene as ionophore. Effects of experimental parameters such as membrane composition, nature and amount of plasticizer, and the amount of additive on the potential response of pH sensor were investigated. This H+-selective membrane electrode gave a linear response over the pH range 0–4 (10−4 to 1 mol L−1 HCl) with slope of 57.4 ± 0.3 mV pH−1 and limit of detection 6.3 × 10−5 mol L−1 at 20 °C. Also, hydrofluoric acid did not influence the surface of this electrode and thus it was maintained without showing any changes in potentials after being used in a hydrofluoric acid solution. The equilibrium water content of the electrode was determined in the presence of two different plasticizers as membrane solvent. The alkaline cation binding affinity of ionophore was very low that prove these cations do not have specific interaction with this ionophore. The electrode had fairly low electrical resistance, good potential stability and reproducibility. It has a rapid potential response to changes of pH (10 s), easily used in a single channel wall-jet flow injection system with good reproducibility (RSD% = 1.67%) and high reversibility. It was used as indicator electrode in potentiometric determination of pH in real samples.