A methodological approach to the application of a vermiculite modified carbon paste electrode in interaction studies: Influence of some pesticides on the uptake of Cu(II) from a solution to the solid phase.

A new methodological approach, for studying metal ion binding interactions with a clay mineral is presented. A carbon paste electrode (CPE) modified with vermiculite clay mineral was used as a model for a soil-like solid phase and Cu(II) ions were chosen as the test ions. The application of this model is demonstrated and explained by investigating the influence of seven pesticides (bromofenoxim, fenamiphos, phenmedipham, atrazine and its three natural degradation products) on the uptake of Cu(II) ions from a solution to the vermiculite, included in a CPE. Different conditions (pH, concentration, exposure time etc.) were considered and the amount of bound copper, accumulated when no potential was applied, was then determined by stripping voltammetry.