Heavy Metal Detection

Click the adjacent button to see the heavy metal, metal and platinum group sensing technology from Zimmer and Peacock.

One of the keywords that describes us at Zimmer and Peacock is electrochemistry and so we approach the development of sensors and sensing from an electrochemist's perspective. That is why when people ask us can we provide or develop a sensors for heavy metal detection the answer is YES, but most importantly we also approach the answer form the perspective than for an electrochemist heavy metal detection is an 'easy' and well understood technology.

In the adjacent image we show the wave form and expected raw data from analysing a solution of heavy metals.

The technique that we recommend is anodic stripping which is an analytical technique that involves preconcentration of a metal onto an electrode surface followed by selective oxidation of each metal during an anodic potential sweep. 

Stripping analysis has the following properties: 

1. Sensitive and reproducible (RSD<5%) method for trace metal ion analysis in aqueous media.
2. Concentration limits of detection for many metals are in the low ppb to high ppt range (S/N=3) and this compares favourably with AAS or ICP analysis.
3. Field deployable instrumentation that is inexpensive, approximately 12-15 metal ions can be analysed for by this method. 

The method is quantitative a the stripping peak currents and peak widths are a function of the metal concentration in solution.