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Discuss the instrumentation of polarography.
Accepted Answer
Polarography utilizes a special type of electrochemical cell called a dropping mercury electrode (DME). The DME consists of a fine capillary tube through which mercury flows, forming a series of constantly renewed mercury drops at the end of the capillary. These drops act as the working electrode, providing a fresh, highly reproducible surface for each measurement.
The cell also contains a reference electrode (e.g., saturated calomel electrode or silver/silver chloride electrode) to maintain a constant potential and a counter electrode (e.g., platinum wire) to complete the circuit.
The instrument itself is equipped with a potentiostat, which controls and measures the potential applied across the working and reference electrodes. It also measures the current flowing between the working electrode and the solution. The potential is usually scanned linearly, while the current is recorded as a function of the applied potential. This results in a polarographic wave, a characteristic S-shaped curve that provides information about the analyte.
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