Carbohydrate polymers as constituents of exopolymer substances in seawater, their complexing properties towards copper ions, surface and catalytic activity determined by electrochemical methods

Abstract The goal of this study was to investigate to which extent polysaccharides (PS) contribute to the complexing capacity for copper ion ( L T ), to determine their property of surface activity and evaluate their capability to cause the catalytic hydrogen evolution wave (peak “H”) due to their adsorption and the catalytic groups in their structure. Complexing capacities and apparent stability constants ( K app ) were measured electrochemically for model polysaccharides (PS): carrageenans (κ-, ι- and λ-), chondroitin sulfate, dextran, dextran sulfate, Na-alginate and humic material. Cu-complexing capacities were determined for Na-alginate (log  K app  = 8 . 32) and chondroitin sulphate (log  K app  = 8.14). PS adsorb on different surfaces due to their amphyphylic properties and on that way they could increase the interaction of copper ions with these surfaces by forming the surface complexes with Cu ions.