Acquisition and Processing of Voltammetric Data : Dos and Don'ts

Titelangaben

Tichter, Tim ; Roth, Christina:
Acquisition and Processing of Voltammetric Data : Dos and Don'ts.
In: ACS Electrochemistry. Bd. 2 (2026) Heft 3 . - S. 586-595.
ISSN 2997-0571
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acselectrochem.5c00370

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Abstract

Post-measurement correction methods such as background subtraction and drift/drop compensation are common practice in physicochemical analyses, e.g., spectroscopy. They do, however, require that the system response is time-invariant and a superposition of signal and background. In voltammetric analyses, respective data treatments are routinely used and usually termed “baseline correction” or “post-run resistance compensation”. Unfortunately, both methods are inherently problematic in the context of most electroanalytical experiments for two reasons: The output of a voltammetric experiment is (i) strongly time-dependent and (ii) a convolution of signal and background and particularly not a superposition in most cases. The aim of this tutorial is to sensitize the reader to the pitfalls related to common types of data manipulation in electrochemistry by discussing practical examples in a theoretically justified framework. Based on this approach, alternative ways of data acquisition and processing, considering the actual electrochemistry, will be provided, and confidence intervals will be elucidated. In this manner, the reader is equipped with useful tools for meticulous data analysis in electroanalytical experiments.