A new electrochemical adsorptive stripping voltammetry method was developed for the determination of trace amounts of copper in food and water samples. The study of electrochemical behavior of Cu ion indicated that Cu(II) and Schiff base formed a complex in H3BO4–NaOH buffer solution (pH=7.25). An accumulation potential of −100 mV (vs Ag/AgCl) was applied while the solution was stirred for 60 s. The response curve was recorded by scanning the potential, and the peak current of −0.31 V (vs Ag/AgCl) was recorded. The peak current and concentration of copper accorded with linear relationship in the range of 0.04–120 ng mL−1. The relative standard deviation (for 12 ng mL−1 of copper) was 1.73 %, and the detection limit was 0.007 ng mL−1. The possible interference of some common ions was studied. The proposed method was applied to the determination of copper in water, rice, wheat, tea, milk, and tomato with satisfactory results.
