Owner manual

7.4 Troubleshooting
746 VA Trace Analyzer / 747 VA Stand
7-41
Enter a new half-wave potential in the instrument and recalculate the results.
Electrolyte solution too old: make up a new one. Its working life with organic
additives may be as short as 1 day or less.
No peak found
The peak is only displaced: adjust the half-wave potential and recalculate.
The background current is too high: repolish the electrode.
The sample concentration is too low: increase sample volume.
The deposition time under MEAS in "OP.SEQUENCE" in the inverse voltam-
metry is too short: increase the time.
Electrolyte solution too old: make up a new one. Its working life with organic
additives may be as short as 1 day or less.
Peak is in the highest µA range
The sample volume is too large: reduce the volume. Carry out the analysis
again.
The background current is too high: repolish the electrode.
The deposition time is too long: reduce the time.
Is the deposition potential correct?
Double peak
Check RDE and polish if necessary (see section 3.5).
If organic components are present: carry out a UV digestion or other suitable
sample preparation.
Electrolyte solution too old: make up a new one. Its working life with organic
additives may be as short as 1 day or less.
Try another measurement mode like AC1. If one substance is reversible and
the second one irreversible, only the reversible substance is detected by
AC1.
Standard addition peaks displaced
Standard solutions have been made too acidic.
Buffering capacity of the electrolyte is not sufficient: increase electrolyte vol-
ume.
Electrode surface overcharged: reduce sample volume.
No addition
Has the correct standard solution been used or is the concentration of the
solution too low: increase the volume of the standard addition or use a higher
concentration or reduce the sample amount accordingly.
If organic components are present: carry out a UV digestion or other suitable
sample preparation.
Concentration of the analyte too high: dilute.
Electrolyte solution too old: make up a new one. Its working life with organic
additives may be as short as 1 day or less.