Electrochemical Sensing and Assessment of Parabens in Hydro- Alcoholic Solutions and Water Using a Boron-Doped Diamond Electrode.docVIP

Sensors 2008, 8, 4330-4349; DOI: 10.3390/s8074330 OPEN ACCESS sensors ISSN 1424-8220 /sensors Article Electrochemical Sensing and Assessment of Parabens in Hydro- Alcoholic Solutions and Water Using a Boron-Doped Diamond Electrode Ciprian Radovan 1,*, Dan Cinghi?? 1, Florica Manea 2, Manuela Mincea 1, Codru?a Cofan 3 and Vasile Ostafe 1 1 West University of Timioara, Laboratory of Electrochemistry, Str. Pestalozzi nr.16, 300115 Timioara, Romania; E-Mails: dan.cinghita@cbg.uvt.ro (D.C.); vostafe@cbg.uvt.ro (V.O) 2 ”Politehnica” University of Timioara, P-ta Victoriei, nr.2, 300006, Timioara, Romania; E-mail: florica.manea@chim.upt.ro (F.M.) 3 University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babe” Timioara, P-?a E. Murgu, nr. 2, 300041 Timioara, Romania; E-Mails: cofancodruta@umft.ro (C.C) *Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: radovan@cbg.uvt.ro (C.R.); Tel: + 40-256 59 2628; Fax: + 40-256 59 26 20 Received: 4 July 2008; in revised form: 17 July 2008 / Accepted: 17 July 2008 / Published: 25 July 2008 Abstract: In this paper, the electrochemical behaviour of several parabens preservatives, i.e. esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, methyl-, ethyl- and propyl-4-hydroxybenzoates as methyl-, ethyl- and propyl-parabens (MB, EB, and PB), has been investigated at a commercial boron-doped diamond electrode (BDDE), especially in the anodic potential range, in both hydro-alcoholic and aqueous media. The cyclic voltammetric and chronoamperometric measurements yielded calibration plots with very good linearity (R2 between 0.990 and 0.998) and high sensitivity, useful for detection and analytical applications. The determination of the characteristics of individual compounds, of an “overall paraben index”, the assessment of the stability and the saturation solubility in water, and the amperometric sensing and determination in double distil