A New Electrochemical Flow Cell for the Remote Sensing of Heavy Metals

Remote sensing is a fast developing field. The ability to detect various elements in secluded or inaccessible areas holds great opportunities. Here we present a new electrochemical flow cell which was developed as part of an autonomous flow system for measuring heavy metals in aquatic environments. The system was designed for remote sensing. Our system can utilize different commercially available electrodes and apply a range of electrochemical methods. The system was studied through both electrochemical experiments and simulation. The potential of the platform was demonstrated by analyzing seawater spiked with cadmium. Good agreement was found between our results and those obtained by ICP-MS analysis.