Communication—Electrochemical Sensor Concept for the Detection of Lead Contamination in Water Utilizing Lead Underpotential Deposition

A novel electrochemical sensor concept, which enables detection of ppb-levels of Pb2+ in water, is outlined. The sensor works on the principle of underpotential deposition of Pb onto a Cu electrode followed by measurement of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) current on the Pbupd-modified electrode surface. The degree of suppression of the HER current is correlated to the Pbupd coverage, which in turn depends on the Pb2+ concentration in solution. Feasibility of achieving a detection limit of 10 ppb Pb2+ in aerated DI water and tap water is demonstrated and the sensing response time is analyzed using diffusion-reaction calculations. (C) The Author(s) 2018. Published by ECS. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 License.