The present paper describes solvent polymeric membrane anion selective electrodes based on di(ethylxanthate) complexes of metal(Ⅱ) [cobalt(Ⅱ), mercury(Ⅱ) and zinc(Ⅱ)] as neutral carriers. The electrode incorporating cobalt(Ⅱ)-di(ethylxanthate) has high selectivity toward the iodide ion and demonstrates anti-Hofmeister behaviour. The electrode showed a near-Nernstian potentiometric response for 10^-^1~10^-^6mol/L I^- with a detection limit of 7.9×10^-^7mol/L and a slope of 54mV/pI^- (20℃). The electrode has low resistance, fast response time, fair stability and reproducibility. The selectivity sequence observed is iodide> thiocyanate>nitrite>bromide>perchlorate>sulfate>nitrate>chloride. The response mechanism of the electrode was also studied with the a.c. impedance and spectroscopic techniques.

Key words: ION SELECTIVE ELECTRODE, XANTHOGENIC ACIDS, COBALT COMPLEX