Amperometría

Amperometría is an electrochemical technique used to measure the current flowing through an electrochemical cell as a function of applied potential. This current is directly proportional to the concentration of the analyte of interest. The technique involves a working electrode, a counter electrode, and a reference electrode. By systematically varying the potential applied to the working electrode, a current-potential curve, known as a voltammogram, is generated. Distinct plateaus or peaks on this curve correspond to specific electrochemical reactions occurring at the working electrode, such as oxidation or reduction. The magnitude of the current within these regions is directly related to the rate of the electrochemical reaction, which in turn depends on the concentration of the electroactive species. Amperometric measurements are typically performed at a fixed potential, usually chosen to correspond to a diffusion-limited current, where the current is solely controlled by the mass transport of the analyte to the electrode surface. This allows for a sensitive and selective determination of various substances. Applications of amperometría are widespread, including environmental monitoring for pollutants, clinical diagnostics for glucose and other biomarkers, and industrial process control. It is particularly useful for determining very low concentrations of analytes.