Electrochemical Behavior of Uric Acid and Epinephrine at a Meso-2,3-Dimercaptosuccinic Acid Self-Assembled Gold Electrode

A self-assembled electrode with a meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) monolayer has been characterized by electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance and complex impedance analysis, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The self-assembled electrode was used for the simultaneous electrochemical detection of epinephrine (EP) and uric acid (UA) in phosphate buffer of pH 7.7. The simultaneous oxidation of EP and UA was performed by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and the signals for each method were well separated with a potential difference of over 330 mV and without interference by each other. The detection limit of EP is 5.4 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹ by CV and 5.3 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹ by DPV and that of UA is 8.4 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹ by CV and 4.2 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹ by DPV. The DMSA self-assembled electrode can be applied to the simultaneous determination of EP and UA.     

Simultaneous Determination of Dopamine and Ascorbic Acid at a Triazole Self-Assembled Monolayer-Modified Gold Electrode

A 3-amino-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole (TA) self-assembled monolayer-modified gold electrode (TA SAM/Au) is characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, A.C. impedance, cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and chronocoulometry. The TA SAM/Au exhibited good promotion of the electrochemical oxidation of dopamine. Some electrochemical parameters of dopamine such as electron transfer number, exchange current density, standard heterogeneous rate constant, diffusion coefficient, etc., were measured by different electrochemical methods. The peak currents of dopamine were linearly dependent on its concentration in the range of 1.5 × 10⁻⁶–1.0 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹, with a detection limit of 5.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹. The oxidative peak potentials of dopamine and ascorbic acid were well separated at about 190 ± 10 mV in pH 2.0 BR buffers at TA SAM/Au, the oxidation peak current increases approximately linearly with increasing concentration of both dopamine and ascorbic acid in the concentration range of 9.98 × 10⁻⁶–4.54 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹. It can be used for simultaneous determination of dopamine and ascorbic acid.     

Covalent Modification of Glassy Carbon Electrode with L-Cysteine for the Determination of Acetaminophen

A novel L-cysteine film modified electrode has been fabricated by means of an electrochemical oxidation procedure, and it was successfully applied to the electrochemical determination of acetaminophen. This method utilizes the electrooxidation of amines to their analogous cation radicals to form a chemically stable covalent linkage between the nitrogen atom of the amine and edge plane sites at the glassy carbon electrode surface. The electrochemical behaviour of acetaminophen at the film electrode was investigated in 0.1 mol L⁻¹ phosphate buffer (pH 6.20). It was found that the redox peak current of acetaminophen was enhanced greatly on the film electrode. Linearity between the oxidation peak current and the acetaminophen concentration was obtained in the range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁴–2.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ with a detection limit of 5.0 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹. For seven parallel detections of 1.0 × 10⁻⁵ mol L⁻¹ acetaminophen, the relative standard deviation (RSD) was 1.46%, suggesting that the film electrode has excellent reproducibility. Application to the determination of acetaminophen in drug tablets and human urine demonstrated that the film electrode has good stability and high sensitivity.     

Electrochemical determination of acetaminophen using a glassy carbon electrode coated with a single-wall carbon nanotube-dicetyl phosphate film

Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) were dispersed into water in the presence of dicetyl phosphate (DCP), and then a SWNT-DCP film-coated glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was constructed. The electrochemical behavior of acetaminophen at bare GCE and SWNT-DCP modified GCE were compared, suggesting that the SWNT-DCP-modified GCE significantly enhances the oxidation peak current of acetaminophen. A sensitive and simple electrochemical method with a good linear relationship in the range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁷–2.0 × 10⁻⁵ mol L⁻¹, was developed for the determination of acetaminophen. The detection limit is 4.0 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹ for 3-min accumulation. This method was successfully demonstrated with tablets.     

Sensitive voltammetric sensor of dihydromyricetin based on Nafion/SWNT-modified glassy carbon electrode

A novel voltammetric sensor, based on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) dispersed in Nafion and modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE), was fabricated and used to determine the trace amounts of dihydromyricetin (DMY). The electrochemical behavior of DMY at this sensor was investigated in 0.1 mol L⁻¹ sulfuric acid solutions + 0.1 mol L⁻¹ NaCl by cyclic voltammetry and squarewave voltammetry. Compared with bare GCE, the electrode presented an excellent response of DMY through an adsorption-controlled quasi-reversible process. Under the optimum conditions, the response peak currents were linear relationship with the DMY concentrations in the range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁷–1.0 × 10⁻⁵ mol L⁻¹ with a detection limit of 9 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹. Based on this voltammetric sensor, a simple and sensitive electroanalytical method for DMY was proposed and applied to quantitative determination of DMY in Ampelopsis grossedentata samples. In addition, the oxidation mechanism was proposed and discussed, which could be a reference for the pharmacological action of DMY in clinical study.     

Electrochemical behavior of uric acid at a penicillamine self-assembled gold electrode

The fabrication and electrochemical characteristics of a penicillamine (PCA) self-assembled monolayer modified gold electrode were investigated. The electrode can enhance the electrochemical response of uric acid (UA), and the electrochemical reaction of UA on the PCA electrode has been studied by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. Some electrochemical parameters, such as diffusion coefficient, standard rate constant, electron transfer coefficient and proton transfer number have been determined for the electrochemical behavior on the PCA self-assembled monolayer electrode. The electrode reaction of UA is an irreversible process, which is controlled by the diffusion of UA with two electrons and two protons transfer at the PCA/Au electrode. In phosphate buffer (pH 5.0), the peak current is proportional to the concentration of UA in the range of 6.0 × 10⁻⁵–7.0 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ and 2.0 × 10⁻⁵–7.0 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ for the cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry methods with the detection limits of 5.0 × 10⁻⁶ and 3.0 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹, respectively. The method can be applied to determine UA concentration in real samples.     

Direct electrochemistry and electrocatalysis of nitrite based on nano-alumina-modified electrode

Simple and sensitive electrochemical method for the determination of nitrite, based on a nano-alumina-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE), is described. Nitrite yields a well-defined oxidation peak whose potential is 0.74 V at the nano-alumina-coated GCE in 0.1 mol L⁻¹ phosphate buffer (pH 5.0). Compared with bare GCE, the nano-alumina-modified GCE has evident catalytic effect towards the oxidation of nitrite, and its peak current can be significantly enhanced. Some of the experimental parameters were optimized for the determination of nitrite. The oxidation peak current was proportional to nitrite concentration in the range of 5.0 × 10⁻⁸–1.1 × 10⁻³ mol L⁻¹, and a detection limit of 1.0 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹ was obtained. This method has been successfully used to the determination of nitrite in sausage sample. Furthermore, results obtained by the method have been compared with spectrophotometric method.     

Covalent modification of glassy carbon electrode with cysteine for the determination of dopamine in the presence of ascorbic acid

A covalently modified glassy carbon electrode with cysteine has been fabricated via an electrochemical oxidation procedure and was applied to induce the electrochemical differentiation between dopamine (DA) and ascorbic acid (AA). Based on the electrostatic interactions between the negatively charged groups on the electrode surface and DA and AA, the modified electrode enhanced the oxidation of DA, reducing the overpotential by 180 mV, and hindered the oxidation of AA, shifting the oxidation potential positively by 170 mV. The peak current for DA at the modified electrode was greatly enhanced and that for AA was significantly decreased, which allows the determination of DA in the presence of AA. The differential pulse peak current was linearly dependent on DA concentration over the range of 5 × 10⁻⁶–2 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹. The detection limit was 1.8 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹. The selectivity and sensitivity for dopamine is due to charge discrimination and analyte accumulation. The modified electrode has been applied to the determination of DA in the presence of AA. Correspondence: L. Zhang, Department of Chemistry, College of Life and Environmental Science, Shanghai Normal University, Guilin Rd 100, Shanghai 200234, P.R. China     

Covalent modification of a glassy carbon electrode with penicillamine for simultaneous determination of hydroquinone and catechol

A simple and highly selective electrochemical method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CC) at a glassy carbon electrode covalently modified with penicillamine (Pen). The electrode is used for the simultaneous electrochemical determination of HQ and CC and shows an excellent electrocatalytical effect on the oxidation of HQ and CC upon cyclic voltammetry in acetate buffer solution of pH 5.0. In differential pulse voltammetric measurements, the modified electrode was able to separate the oxidation peak potentials of HQ and CC present in binary mixtures by about 103 mV although the bare electrode gave a single broad response. The determination limit of HQ in the presence of 0.1 mmol L⁻¹ CC was 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹, and the determination limit of CC in the presence of 0.1 mmol L⁻¹ HQ was 6.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹. The method was applied to the simultaneous determination of HQ and CC in a water sample. It is simple and highly selective.     

Application of a Single-Wall Carbon Nano-Tube Film Electrode to the Determination of Trace Amounts of Folic Acid

Single-wall carbon nano-tubes were used to modify the surface of a glassy carbon electrode (GC) and applied in the determination of folic acid with voltammetry. The experiments demonstrated that the presence of a carbon nano-tube film on the electrode greatly increased the reduction peak current of folic acid. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) were used in a comparative investigation of the electrochemical reduction of folic acid with the film electrode. Effects of pH on the peak current and the peak potential were studied in the pH range of 4.0–8.0 with Britton-Robinson buffer solution. The reduction peak current was found to be linearly related to folic acid concentration over the range of 1 × 10⁻⁸ to 1 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ with a detection limit of 1 × 10⁻⁹ mol L⁻¹ after 5 min accumulation. The film electrode provides an efficient way for eliminating interferences from some inorganic and organic species in the solution. The high sensitivity, selectivity and stability of the film electrode demonstrate its practical application from a simple and rapid determination of folic acid in tablets.     

Adsorption voltammetry of the zirconium-alizarin red S complex at a multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified carbon paste electrode

We used a carbon paste electrode modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes as a working electrode and studied the electrochemical behavior of zirconium-alizarin red S complex on it. It was found that the modified electrode exhibited a significant catalytic effect toward the reduction of free alizarin red S and the complex. The second derivative linear scan voltammograms of the complex were recorded by a polarographic analyser from 0 to −1000 mV (vs. SCE), and it was found that the complex can be adsorbed on the surface of the modified electrode, yielding a peak at about −470 mV, corresponding to the reduction of alizarin red S in the complex. The linear range was found to be 2.0 × 10⁻¹¹–8.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹, and the detection limit was 1.0 × 10⁻¹¹ mol L⁻¹ (S/N = 3) for 3 min accumulation. The procedure was successfully applied to the determination of trace amounts of zirconium in the ore samples. Correspondence: Pei-Hong Deng, Department of Chemistry and Material Science, Hengyang Normal University, Hengyang Hunan 421008, P.R. China     

Electrochemical behaviors of GMP based on solid-phase extractionon at Cu-Mg-Al hydrotalcite-like compound (HTLC) modified glass carbon electrode

Guanosine-5′-monophosphate (GMP) was investigated the electrochemical behaviors based on solid-phase extractionon (SPE) at Cu-Mg-Al hydrotalcite-like compound (HTLC) modified glass carbon electrode. Cu-Mg-Al hydrotalcite-like compound (HTLC) was proved as a new sorbent for SPE of GMP, which showed an irreversible adsorption oxidation process on the HTLC/GCE with the oxidation peak potential located at 1.15 V (vs. SCE) in a pH 5.0 acetate buffer solution. Influencing factors of the electrochemical behavior of GMP on the HLTC/GCE were optimized and kinetic parameters were calculated. Under the optimal conditions, with differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), a linear relationship was obtained between the oxidation peak current and the GMP concentration in the range from 1.0 × 10^− 6 to 8.0 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ with the detection limit as 5.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ (signal-to-noise ratio of 3). The modified electrode surface has very good reproducibility and stability.     

Selective and sensitive molecularly imprinted sol–gel film-based electrochemical sensor combining mercaptoacetic acid-modified PbS nanoparticles with Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>@Au–multi-walled carbon nanotubes–chitosan

A sensitive molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor was developed for selective detection of streptomycin by combination of mercaptoacetic acid-modified PbS nanoparticles with Au-coated Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles dispersed multi-walled carbon nanotubes doped chitosan film. The imprinted sensor was fabricated onto the Au electrode via stepwise modification of nanocomposites and an electrodeposited thin film of molecularly imprinted polymers via sol–gel technology. The morphologies and electrochemical behaviors of the imprinted sensor were characterized by scanning electron microscope, cyclic voltammetry, and differential pulse voltammetry, respectively. The prepared sensor showed very high recognition ability and selectivity for streptomycin. Under optimal conditions, the imprinted sensor displayed good electrocatalytic activity to the redox of streptomycin. And the differential voltammetric anodic peak current was linear to the logarithm of streptomycin concentration in the range from 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ to 1.0 × 10⁻³ mol L⁻¹, and the detection limit obtained was 1.5 × 10⁻⁹ mol L⁻¹. This proposed imprinted sensor was used successfully for streptomycin determination in different injection solution samples.     

Voltammetric Sensor for the Determination of Parathion Using an Electropolymerized Poly(Carmine) Film Electrode

A voltammetric sensor for the determination of parathion has been developed based on the use of a poly(carmine) film electrode. The reduction of parathion at the poly(carmine) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) is studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear scan voltammetry (LSV). Parathion yields a well-defined reduction peak at a potential of −0.595 V on the poly(carmine) modified GCE in pH 6.0 phosphate buffer solution (PBS). Compared with that on a bare GCE, the reduction peak current of parathion is significantly enhanced. All the experimental parameters are optimized for the determination of parathion. The reduction peak current is linear with the parathion concentration in the range of 5.0 × 10⁻⁸ to 1.0 × 10⁻⁵ mol L⁻¹, and the detection limit is 1.0 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹.     

Voltammetric determination of 2-chlorophenol using a glassy carbon electrode coated with multi-wall carbon nanotube-dicetyl phosphate film

Multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNT) were dispersed into water in the presence of dicetyl phosphate (DCP), and MWNT-DCP composite film coated glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) were constructed. The electrochemical properties of 2-chlorophenol at a bare GCE and MWNT-DCP modified GCE were compared. It was found that MWNT-DCP modified GCEs significantly enhance the oxidation peak current of 2-chlorophenol and lowers its oxidation overpotential, suggesting great potential in the sensitive determination of 2-chlorophenol. Finally, a sensitive and simple voltammetric method was developed for the determination of 2-chlorophenol. The oxidation peak current increases linearly with the concentration in the range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁷–2.0 × 10⁻⁵ mol L⁻¹, and the detection limit is 4.0 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹ for 2 min accumulation. The method was successfully used to determine 2-chlorophenol in waste water samples.     

Simultaneous voltammetric determination of dihydroxybenzene isomers using a poly(acid chrome blue K)/carbon nanotube composite electrode

A novel modified electrode was fabricated by electropolymerization of acid chrome blue K at a multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified glassy carbon electrode. The electrode developed was used for simultaneous determination of the isomers of dihydroxybenzene in environmental samples using first order linear sweep derivative voltammetry with background subtraction. A linear relationship between peak current and concentration of hydroquinone, catechol and resorcinol was obtained in the range of 1 × 10⁻⁶–1 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹, and the detection limits were estimated to be 1 × 10⁻⁷, 1 × 10⁻⁷ and 9 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹, respectively. The constructed electrode showed excellent reproducibility and stability. Real water samples were analyzed and satisfactory results were obtained. This method provides a new way of constructing electrodes for environmental and biological analysis.     

Simple sensor for simultaneous determination of dihydroxybenzene isomers

A simple sensor based on bare carbon ionic liquid electrode was fabricated for simultaneous determination of dihydroxybenzene isomers in 0.1 mol L⁻¹ phosphate buffer solution (pH 6.0). The oxidation peak potential of hydroquinone was about 0.136 V, catechol was about 0.240 V, and resorcinol 0.632 V by differential pulse voltammetric measurements, which indicated that the dihydroxybenzene isomers could be separated absolutely. The sensor showed wide linear behaviors in the range of 5.0 × 10⁻⁷–2.0 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ for hydroquinone and catechol, 3.5 × 10⁻⁶–1.535 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ for resorcinol, respectively. And the detection limits of the three dihydroxybenzene isomers were 5.0 × 10⁻⁸, 2.0 × 10⁻⁷, 5.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹, respectively (S/N = 3). The proposed method could be applied to the determination of dihydroxybenzene isomers in artificial wastewater and the recovery was from 93.9% to 104.6%.     

Electrochemical deposition of silicate–cetyltrimethylammonium bromide nanocomposite film on glassy carbon electrode for sensing of methyl parathion

A novel electrochemical sensor for methyl parathion based on silicate– cetyltrimethylammonium bromide nanocomposite film has been fabricated by electro-assisted deposition onto glassy carbon electrode in one-step via an electrochemical modulation of pH at the electrode/solution interface to promote controlled gelification of tetraethylorthosilicate sol, and was characterized with scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The electrochemical sensing of methyl parathion on the film-modified electrode was investigated applying cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry. Compared to the unmodified electrode, the shapes of the redox peaks were improved and the peak currents significantly increased. Experimental parameters such as deposition time, pH value, and accumulation conditions have been optimized. A linear relationship between the peak current and methyl parathion concentration was obtained in the range from 1.0 × 10⁻⁷ to 1.0 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ with a detection limit of 1.04 × 10 ⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹ (S/N = 3) after accumulation at 0 V for 120 s. The film electrode shows great promise for determination of methyl parathion in real samples.      

Ensemble of carbon fiber ultra-microelectrodes modified with nanotubes, and its application to the determination of dopamine

An ensemble of carbon fibers ultra-microelectrode modified with carbon nanotubes (EUME-CNTS) has been constructed based on a thin carbon nanotubes film which was coated onto surfaces of carbon fibers of ultra-microelectrode. SEM micrographs illustrated the image of carbon nanotubes on the carbon fiber surface. The electrochemical characteristics of the EUME-CNTS has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The electrochemical properties of dopamine on this electrode were also studied, and the detection limit was found to be 2.0 × 10⁻⁹ mol·L⁻¹. Linear calibration plots were obtained for the oxidation peak current in a range 1.0 × 10⁻⁷–8.0 × 10⁻⁵ mol·L⁻¹. Correspondence: Xiuhua Liu, Kuaizhi Liu, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan University, Henan Kaifeng 475001, P.R. China     

Ultrasensitive Assay of Rhein in Medicine Based on its Enhanced Luminol-K3Fe(CN)6 Chemiluminescence Reaction Using the Flow Injection Technique

Determination of the effective components in traditional Chinese medicine is one of the key steps for its identification. In this paper a novel and sensitive chemiluminescence (CL) method for the determination of rhein coupled with flow-injection analysis (FIA) is developed. It is based on the strong sensitizing effect on the weak CL reaction between luminol and ferricyanide in alkaline solution. Under optimal experimental conditions, the relative CL intensity is proportional to the concentration of rhein in the range of 7.0 × 10⁻¹²–7.0 × 10⁻¹⁰ mol L⁻¹ and 1.0 × 10⁻⁹–4.0 × 10⁻⁵ mol L⁻¹, the detection limit is 1.478 × 10⁻¹³ mol L⁻¹, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) for 9 parallel measurements of 1.408 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ rhein is 3.4%. The method was successfully applied to the determination of rhein in pharmaceutical preparations. The possible mechanism of CL is also briefly discussed.