Even though ammonia is a natural component of aquatic environments, elevated concentrations indicate pollution and environmental degradation. Consequently, efficient analytical methods for monitoring ammonia levels are crucial for preserving water quality. Voltammetry offers a sustainable approach for NH3 quantification, combining good analytical performance with low sample and reagent consumption, minimizing waste generation. However, despite these advantages, the voltammetric determination of ammonia remains relatively unexplored. Therefore, this study investigated the electrochemical behavior of NH3 in alkaline solutions using a non-modified Pt electrode and evaluated the performance of differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) for NH3 determination. DPV provided superior performance, with limits of detection and quantification of 0.79 µmol L-1 (0.011 ppmN) and 2.6 µmol L-1 (0.036 ppmN), respectively, which comply with the maximum allowable ammonia concentration in natural waters according to Brazilian and European regulations. The voltammetric method successfully quantified ammonia in tap and river water samples, providing results concordant with the established Berthelot spectrophotometric method, at a 95% confidence level. Additionally, it is simple and fully accessible to non-electrochemist since no sophisticated procedures for electrode modification are needed. Finally, the high analytical performance of the proposed method makes it valuable for pollution monitoring in aquatic environments.
Keywords:
aquatic chemistry; nitrogen cycle; water quality
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