We used the Wheestat potenciostat to measure a known solution of quercetin. We used the differencial pulse voltammetry technique. The results obtained were compared with those of the commercial potenciostat microSTAT 200 from Dropsens.

Who

Pablo Cremades

Federico Gomez

Carina Gonzalez

Fernando Castro @nanocastro

Materials

• 2 graphite electrodes (working and counter).
• Paraffin
• 1 silver electrode (reference).
• 10ppm quercetin solution prepared on phosphate buffer 10mM, pH 2.5.

Set-up

Graphite electrode were submerged on liquid paraffin for a few seconds. We repeated the process three time. Then we removed the paraffin from the extreme of each electrode and polish mecanically.

For the reference electrode we followed this note. A porous ceramic pellet sphere was fixed on the extreme of of a glass tube (both part of the kit). Then the tube was submerged on a saturated KClsat solution for a week. The silver cable was covered with AgCl trought electrolisis. The soldered silver wire was introduced on the tube and was filled with a 3 M KCl.

Results

Next steps

This was just our first approach to the low-cost open source potenciostat but not the last...

The aim or our project is to measure chlorophyll in leaves to evaluate the nutricional state of plants.

We are also interested on using low-cost potenciostats to measure some agrotoxics like atrazine.

You can find the documentation of our project here (in Spanish)