Marco Sartore¹, Claudio Nicolini²

A recent research program at the PST Elba was focalized on the development of low-cost, portable electrochemical apparatus for the detection of analytes both in environmental and health care field. The instrument is capable to perform the detection in several matrices such as water (clear, sea, drinking, etc.), beverages and biological fluids. The operations are simple and completely computer-assisted by means of user-friendly menus. The operator is only requested to add the sample into the analytical cell, along with a small quantity of supporting electrolyte, and to set up a few measuring parameters. The system is completely automated and performs different electrochemical techniques, i.e. Potentiometric Stripping Analysis, Chronoamperometry and Linear, Cyclic, Differential Pulse and Square Wave Voltammetry. The working electrodes are graphite-based, eventually including the catalytic elements when required. Applications of the device in the detection of the presence of metal ions in solution, as well as of metabolites, are presented.