Voltammetric response of ferroceneboronic acid to diol and phenoliccompounds as possible pollutants

A voltammetric determination of possible organic pollutants such as diol and phenolic compounds in water was studied usingferroceneboronic acid (FBA) as a redox-active marker. A cyclic voltammogram of FBA exhibited a pair of oxidation and reductionpeaks at 230 and 170 mV at pH 7.0, respectively, while another pair of redox peaks was observed in the presence of diol or phenoliccompounds tested. The results were rationalized based on the formation of boronate esters of FBA with the added compounds. Thechanges in the redox peak currents were dependent on the concentration of the additives, suggesting a usefulness of FBA in theelectrochemical determination of these compounds in water.