Chemical sensors based on a hydrochemically deposited lead sulfide film for the determination of lead in aqueous solutions

Chemical sensors for determining lead in aqueous solutions are developed based on hydrochemically deposited lead sulfide (PbS) films; their composition and surface morphology are studied. The sensors are sensitive to lead to 31.5–32.5 mV/p c Pb with the limit of detection of the metal 1.5 × 10 –8 M. The role of photoactivation and doping of films in increasing the sensitivity of the film sensor to lead is determined. The studied chemical sensors can be relatively easily regenerated by soaking in distilled water for 10–30 min; they have sufficiently high selectivity to lead in the presence of sodium, nickel, zinc, and cadmium salts in solution.