This work reports the microfabrication of mercury-free disposable
voltammetric sensors with integrated metal-film
electrodes. The electrodes were formed by sputtering metals
(bismuth for the working electrode, Pt for counter electrode
and Ag for the reference electrode) on a silicon substrate
while the exact geometry of the electrodes were mechanically
defined by amask. The cells were characterised by cyclic
voltammetry and the sensors were tested for the determination
of trace Ni(II) by SWAdSV. The relevant chemical and
instrumental parameters were investigated and the devices
were employed to determine Ni(II) in water samples. The
advantages of these sensors are that they are mercuryfree
and environmentally friendly, are disposable, are easy
and inexpensive to mass-produce in a reproducible manner,
require simple control instrumentation and are therefore ideal
for field measurements.