ELECTROCHEMICAL DEPOSITION AND SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYSIS METHODS AND APPARATUS USING DIAMOND ELECTRODES

摘要

A method of analyzing chemical species in a solution, the method comprising: providing an electrochemical deposition apparatus comprising a first electrode (2) formed of an electrically conductive diamond material and a second electrode (4); locating the first electrode in contact with a solution (8) to be analyzed and the second electrode in electrical contact with the solution to be analyzed; applying a potential difference between the first and second electrodes (2, 4) such that current flows between the first and second electrodes through the solution to be analyzed and chemical species are electro-deposited from the solution onto the first electrode; applying a spectroscopic analysis technique to the electro-deposited chemical species (M1, M2, M3) on the first electrode to generate spectroscopic data about the electro-deposited chemical species on the first electrode; and using the spectroscopic data to determine the type of chemical species electro-deposited on the first electrode. The spectroscopic analysis technique, which can be based on X-rays, fluorescent X-rays or gamma rays, is used in combination with stripping voltammetric measurement performed on the first electrode. The spectroscopic data can also be used in-situ calibration data for calibrating the reference potential used voltammetric measurements.