Author Identifier (ORCID)
Wade Lonsdale: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5558-5403
Paul Lewtas: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-0194-4931
Samantha Ridgway: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1539-5477
Magdalena Wajrak: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3666-2175
Abstract
The accumulation of biomass on ship hulls (biofouling) can greatly decrease their fuel efficiency. Many antifouling coatings contain copper as a biocidal agent, which can be released during hull cleanings and is of particular concern when cleaning the hulls in situ (i.e., without dry docking). Previously established voltammetric methods for the detection of copper in seawater using a gold microwire electrode have been modified and adapted to a portable on-site voltammetric technique. Notable differences from previous voltammetric methods include the use of linear sweep voltammetry, analysis under atmospheric conditions, alternating the potential during the deposition period and the use of dilute nitric acid as an electrolyte. The new modified method has achieved a cell limit of detection (LOD) in HNO3 electrolyte down to 0.051 ppb and in natural seawater down to 0.089 ppb (below ANZECC guidelines) with minimal sample pretreatment and a deposition time of only 60 s. Preliminary data on the impact of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on electrode stability show tolerance up to at least 5 ppm DOM, potentially as high as 20 ppm, suggesting sample digestion may not be necessary when targeting only dissolved copper species. This instrumentation has direct application for inline, rapid and precise detection of trace, dissolved copper species in seawater during copper removal and remediation practices.
Keywords
Alternating voltage, anodic stripping voltammetry, copper, gold wire electrode, linear sweep, on-site detection, seawater matrix
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
12-29-2025
Publication Title
International Journal of Electrochemistry
Publisher
Wiley
School
School of Science
RAS ID
88303
Funders
Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation, Government of Western Australia (G1006781)
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Comments
Brosnan, L. M., Lonsdale, W., Pringle, P., Lewtas, P., Ridgway, S., Allard, S., & Wajrak, M. (2025). Detection of ultra-trace levels of copper in seawater using a bare gold microwire electrode and a portable digital voltammeter. International Journal of Electrochemistry, 2025(1) https://doi.org/10.1155/ijel/1627819