UPLC-Q-TOF/MS在烘焙食品中羧甲基赖氨酸和羧乙基赖氨酸检测中的应用

建立了烘焙食品中羧甲基赖氨酸(CML)和羧乙基赖氨酸(CEL)的UPLC-Q-TOF/MS检测方法。烘焙食品经脱脂、还原、沉淀蛋白、酸水解释放出CML和CEL,使用FMOC-Cl柱前衍生和HLB小柱固相萃取净化后,采用UPLC-Q-TOF/MS检测。CML和CEL在1~700 ng/m L浓度范围内均呈良好的线性关系,线性回归系数r0.999。CML和CEL的检出限均为0.1 mg/kg;回收率为94.4%~108.3%;相对标准偏差(RSD,n=6)为0.4%~6.2%。该方法定性、定量准确,灵敏度高,能很好地应用于烘焙食品中CML和CEL的检测。     

Comparative LC-MS/MS profiling of free and protein-bound early and advanced glycation-induced lysine modifications in dairy products

Free and protein-bound forms of early and advanced glycation-induced lysine (Lys) modifications were quantified in dairy products by LC-MS/MS using a stable isotope dilution assay. The glycation profiles for N(epsilon)-fructoselysine (FL), N(epsilon)-carboxymethyllysine (CML) and pyrraline (Pyr) were monitored in raw and processed cow milk to investigate whether free glycation products could serve as fast and simple markers to assess the extent of protein glycation in dairy products. In all milk samples, the fraction of free glycation adducts was predominantly composed of advanced modifications, e.g. 8.34+/-3.81 nmol CML per micromol of free Lys (Lys(free)) and 81.5+/-87.8 nmol Pyr micromol(-1) Lys(free)(-1) vs. 3.72+/-1.29 nmol FL micromol(-1) Lys(free)(-1). In contrast, the protein-bound early glycation product FL considerably outweighed the content of CML and Pyr in milk proteins of raw and processed cow milk, whereas severely heat treated milk products, e.g. condensed milk, contained a higher amount of protein-bound advanced glycation adducts. Typical values recorded for milk samples processed under mild conditions were 0.47+/-0.08 nmol FL micromol(-1) of protein-bound Lys (Lys(p-b)), 0.04+/-0.03 nmol CML micromol(-1) Lys(p-b)(-1) and 0.06+/-0.02 nmol Pyr micromol(-1)Lys(p-b)(-1). It was particularly noticeable, however, that mild heat treatment of raw milk, i.e. pasteurization and UHT treatment, did not significantly increase the amount of both free and protein-bound Lys modifications. In conclusion, the profiles of free and protein-bound glycation-induced Lys modifications were found to be different and a screening of free glycation adducts does, therefore, not allow for a conclusion about the protein glycation status of dairy products.     

Sunlight induces N epsilon-(carboxymethyl)lysine formation from glycated polylysine-iron(III) complex

Sunlight was found to strongly induce the formation of N epsilon-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) from glycated polylysine in the presence of Fe(III) ion. The initial step of this Fe(III)-catalyzed CML formation was noted to be similar to that of blueprint photography as was confirmed by the production of Turnbull's blue in sunlight-exposed glycated human serum albumin ferricyanide solution in the presence of Fe(III). Based on this, photoinduced oxidative C-C bond cleavage of the Amadori compound was assumed to be initiated by photochemical single electron transfer front ligand to Fe(III) in the Fe(III)-Amadori compound complex affording the Fe(II)-Amadori compound radical intermediate, which eventually yields either CML or active oxygen species. CML is thus a useful oxidative stress marker. The mechanism proposed here would explain the high accumulation of CML in lens protein and skin actinic elastosis.     

Nepsilon-(gamma-glutamyl) lysine] as a potential biomarker in neurological diseases: new detection method and fragmentation pathways

Protein aggregates are characteristic of a number of diseases of the central nervous system such as diseases of polyQ expansion. Covalent bonds formed by the action of transglutaminase are thought to participate in the stabilization of these aggregates. Transglutaminase catalyzes the formation of cross-links between the side chains of glutaminyl and lysyl residues of polypeptides. Identification of the isodipeptide N(epsilon)-(gamma-glutamyl) lysine (iEK) in terminal proteolytic digests of neuronal aggregates would demonstrate participation of transglutaminase in neurological diseases. In order to identify and quantify the iEK present in the brain of patients with neurological disease, a method combining liquid chromatography and multistep mass spectrometry was developed. Because isobaric peptides of iEK could be present in the digest of aggregated proteins, the choice of fragment diagnostic ions was crucial. These ions were identified by mass spectrometry on sodiated iEK, which was derivatized on the carboxylic functions and terminal amines in order to improve sensitivity. Deuterated molecules as well as (13)C(6)- and (15)N(2)-isotopomers were used to derive filiations in the multistep fragmentations. The main fragmentation patterns have been identified, so that two ions (m/z 396 [MH - 56-42 u](+) and 350 [MH - 56-88 u](+)) are shown to be adequate markers for quantitation experiments. In order to gain a better understanding of the fragmentation processes, detailed quantum chemical calculations have been performed at levels which are expected to provide good accuracy. A thorough study has been carried out with a reduced model in which only the 'active' part of the molecule is retained. This allowed obtaining full mechanistic details on the pathways leading to a number of observed fragments. In particular, it has been shown that losses of 87 and 88 u from A(+) = [MH - 56 u](+) are competitive. Computations on the entire derivatized isodipeptide have been used to validate the use of the smaller model in order to obtain reliable energetics and mechanisms.     

Determination of N epsilon-(carboxymethyl)lysine in exhaled breath condensate using isotope dilution liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

In order to identify new biomarkers for pulmonary diseases in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) it was the aim of this study to develop an analytical method for the identification and quantification of N epsilon-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) in EBC. As detection by liquid chromatography with positive electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS) offers the advantage of structurally related detection with the necessary specificity required for the identification of a substance, it was the method chosen for the determination of the non-volatile compound. Specific mass transitions and comparison of retention times with standards under given conditions were used for the unequivocal identification of CML in EBC of healthy subjects. Synthesis of isotopically labelled CML was performed and used as an internal standard for an accurate determination. It was possible to identify the advanced glycation end-product CML in 8 out of 10 healthy subjects. The concentration range determined in the quantifiable examined samples ranged between 35 and 110 pg/mL. EBC samples from 11 patients with different diseases such as diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were also measured. In one patient with pneumonia a concentration of 1509 pg CML/mL EBC could be detected. This is the first time that CML has been identified and determined in EBC. The developed LC/ESI-MS/MS method could be used to address the utility of CML as a biomarker in pulmonary diseases.     

Stable isotope dilution analysis of N-acetylaspartic acid in urine by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

N-acetylaspartic acid (NAA) is a specific urinary marker for Canavan disease, an autosomal recessive leukodystrophy. We developed a 'dilute and shoot' stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for determination of NAA in urine. Deuterated internal standard d(3)-NAA was added to untreated urine and the mixture was injected into the LC-MS/MS system operated in the negative ion mode. Chromatography was carried out on a C(8) minibore column using 50% acetonitrile solution containing 0.05% formic acid at a flow rate of 0.25 mL/min. The retention time was 1.6 min and the turnaround time was 2.2 min. NAA and d(3)-NAA were analyzed in multiple reaction monitoring mode. Calibrators and quality control samples were prepared in pooled control urine. The assay was linear up to 2000 micromol/L with limit of quantification at 1 micromol/L (S/N = 12). Interassay and intraassay coefficients of variation were less than 7% and recovery at three different concentrations was 98.9-102.5%. The LC-MS/MS method for NAA as described involves no extraction and no derivatization, showed no interference and gave excellent recovery with low variability and short analytical time. The method was successfully applied for the retrospective analysis of urine from 21 Canavan disease cases.     

Sensitive determination of norepinephrine, synephrine, and isoproterenol by capillary electrophoresis with indirect electrochemiluminescence detection

A new and sensitive method for the determination of norepinephrine (NE), synephrine, and isoproterenol was developed by CE separation and indirect electrochemiluminescence detection (ECL) based on their quenching effects on the tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)-ruthenium(II)/tripropylamine (TPA) system. The conditions for CE separation and ECL detection were investigated in detail. Under the optimum conditions, the three analytes were well separated within 9 min. The LODs (S/N = 3) in standard solution are 2.6 x 10(-8) mol/L for NE, 6.6 x 10(-9) mol/L for synephrine and 8.4 x 10(-8) mol/L for isoproterenol, respectively. The precisions of intraday and interday are less than 4.4 and 6.1%, respectively. The LOQs (S/N = 10) in real human urine samples are 2.6 x 10(-7) mol/L for NE, 8.8 x 10(-8 ) mol/L for synephrine, and 8.8 x 10(-7) mol/L for isoproterenol, respectively. The applicability of the proposed method was illustrated in the determination of 20 human urine samples from diabetic patients and healthy persons. The results obtained indicated that the level of NE in patients (mean value 0.41 micromol/L) was higher than that in healthy persons (mean value 0.24 micromol/L).     

High-throughput capillary electrophoretic method for determination of total aminothiols in plasma and urine.

Increased interest in the analysis of aminothiols in body fluids during the last years results in a request for high-throughput analytical methods for their determination. We report here a novel, high-throughput method for the determination of total concentrations of biogenous aminothiols - homocysteine, cysteine, glutathione, cysteinylglycine, gamma-glutamylcysteine, and of penicilamine, mercaptopropionylglycine, and cysteamine, three compounds used to treat disorders of aminothiol metabolism in plasma and urine. Samples were reduced with tris(carboxyethyl)phosphine and labeled with 5-(bromomethyl)fluorescein. Capillary electrophoretic separations were performed in 60 mmol/L borate - 15 mmol/L sodium dodecyl sulfate - 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol, pH 10.0, with laser-induced fluorescence detection. Analysis time was less than 2 min. The assay is linear (r > 0.999) up to 500 micromol/L. Reproducibilities of migration times (coefficient of variation, CV) were < 0.5%. Interassay repeatabilities (CV, n = 10) were 5.08% and 6.09% for 5 micromol/L addition of homocysteine and 0.60% and 3.78% for 100 micromol/L addition of cysteine in plasma and urine, respectively. Recovery values were within 94-106% and sensitivity was better than 0.19 micromol/L for all analyzed compounds. Results agreed well with a standard high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. The diagnostic usefulness of the method has been proven on 79 samples of cystinuric patients and 12 samples of homocystinuric patients. We report here a novel method for the determination of aminothiols in body fluids by capillary electrophoresis (CE). Determination is fast and sensitive enough for diagnostic purposes.     

Determination of amino acid enantiomers in human urine and blood serum by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Amino acid (AA) enantiomers were determined as N(O)-pentafluoropropionyl-(2)-propyl esters by chiral gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in 24 h samples of the urine of three healthy volunteers and in their blood sera. In urine the largest amounts were determined for D-Ser (64-199 micromol/day) and D-Ala (24-138 micromol/day). In blood sera, D-Ala (2.3-4.2 micromol/L) and D-Ser (1.0-2.9 micromol/L) were most abundant. Varying amounts of the D-enantiomers of Thr, Pro, Asx, Glx, Phe, Tyr, Orn and Lys were also found, albeit not in all urines and sera. Further, enantiomers were quantified in urine samples of two volunteers fasting for 115 h. Quantities of renally excreted D-AAs decreased in fasting, although amounts of D-Ser (69 and 77 micromol/L urine) as well as other D-AAs were still detectable. Time-dependent analyses of urine showed that D-AAs are continuously excreted. Copyright -Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rapid determination of lysine in biological samples by isocratic liquid chromatography.

A simple, rapid, and sensitive method was developed for detection and quantitation of lysine (Lys) in various biological samples by isocratic liquid chromatography (LC). Samples containing Lys and other amino acids were derivatized with 9-fluorenylmethyl chloroformate (FMOC-CI). The mobile phase used for isocratic elution was 50 mmol/L sodium acetate buffer (pH 4.20)-acetonitrile (43 + 57, v/v). Lys was detected with a UV detector at 265 nm. The derivatized Lys eluted from a LiChrospher 100 RP-18 (150 x 4.0 mm id) column at a retention time of 5.6 min. The limit of detection was 0.73 mumol/L (signal-to-noise [S/N] ratio, 3:1), and the limit of quantitation was 2.37 mumol/L (S/N ratio, 10:1). Lys recoveries from fortified biological samples were > 97.5%. Average Lys contents found in rumen fluid samples collected before the morning feeding and at 2.0, 4.0, and 6.0 h after feeding were 4.26, 3.34, 3.58, and 3.82 mumol/L, respectively. The hydrolysate of a sample of mixed rumen microorganisms collected before the morning feeding was determined to contain 1.372 mumol/mg microbial nitrogen in the form of Lys. The Lys concentrations of human plasma, goat plasma, human urine, and goat urine were 140.0, 102.0, 58.0, and 32.0 mumol/L, respectively.     

Poly (3-(3-pyridyl) acrylic acid) modified glassy carbon electrode for simultaneous determination of dopamine, ascorbic acid and uric acid

Trans-3-(3-pyridyl) acrylic acid (PAA) was deposited on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by electropolymerization in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solution (PBS). The poly (3-(3-pyridyl) acrylic acid) (PPAA) film modified glassy carbon electrode shows an excellent electrochemical response for dopamine (DA), ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA). The cyclic voltammetry oxidation peaks for DA and AA, DA and UA, AA and UA are separated by 150 mV, 130 mV and 280 mV, respectively. This permits the simultaneous determination of AA, DA and UA. The interference of AA with the determination of DA could be eliminated because of the electrostatic interaction between DA cations and the negatively charged PPAA film at pH 7.0. The anodic peak currents of DA, AA and UA increase linearly with concentration in the range of 1-40 micromol L(-1), 10-400 micromol L(-1) and 1.6-80 micromol L(-1), respectively, with a correlation coefficient (r) always higher than 0.998. The detection limit is 0.06 micromol L(-1), 0.8 micromol L(-1) and 1.1 micromol L(-1) for DA, AA and UA, respectively.     

Measurement of reduced and total mercaptamine in urine using liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection

A simple liquid chromatographic method for the determination of reduced and total mercaptamine in human urine is described. The method is based on derivatization with 2-chloro-1-methylquinolinium tetrafluoroborate followed by ion-pairing reversed-phase liquid chromatography separation and ultraviolet-absorbance detection at 355 nm. Total mercaptamine was determined by reductive conversion of its oxidized fraction to the thiol form before the derivatization step. Baseline separation was achieved on an analytical Zorbax SB C(18) (5 microm, 150 x 4.6 mm) column with a mobile phase consisting of pH 2.0 0.05 mol L(-1) trichloroacetic acid buffer (component A) and acetonitrile (component B) pumped at 1.2 mL min(-1). Gradient elution was used: 0-3 min 12% B, 3-9 min 12-30% B, 9-12 min 30-12% B. The response of the detector was linear within the ranges studied, from 0.1 to 50 micromol L(-1) for reduced mercaptamine and from 0.4 to 400 micromol L(-1) for total mercaptamine. The imprecision ranges for reduced and total mercaptamine were within 1.45-11.71 and 0.73-10.61%, respectively. The analytical accuracy for determined compounds was from 98.79 to 109.77%. The lower limits of detection and quantitation were 0.05 and 0.1 micromol L(-1) of urine for reduced mercaptamine, and 0.2 and 0.4 micromol L(-1) of urine for total mercaptamine, respectively. This method can be used for routine clinical monitoring of the title thiol-drug and its reduced and oxidized fractions. Moreover, cysteine and cysteinylglycine can be measured concurrently, if needed.     

Graphene/Poly(vinylferrocene) Composite Based Amperometric Biosensor for L‐lysine Determination

A novel and sensitive amperometric biosensor for L‐lysine determination based on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with graphene (GR) and redox polymer poly(vinylferrocene) (PVF) was constructed. L‐lysine‐α‐oxidase was immobilized onto the modified GCE by a glutaraldehyde/bovine serum albumin cross‐linking procedure. SEM, CV and EIS were used for the characterization of the surface morphology and stepwise fabrication processes of PVF/GR composite. Optimal composition of the biosensor and experimental conditions that affect the performance of the biosensor are discussed. The effect of buffer pH on biosensor response was studied in detail over a wide pH range. L‐lysine biosensor displayed a linear range of 9.9×10⁻⁷ ‐ 3.1×10⁻⁴ M with a low detection limit of 2.3×10⁻⁷ M and K_M ^app value of 0.4 mM. The L‐lysine biosensor was tested using pharmaceutical sample and cheese with satisfactory results.     

Determination of levofloxacin and norfloxacin by capillary electrophoresis with electrochemiluminescence detection and applications in human urine

A novel method for the determination of norfloxacin (NOR) and levofloxacin (LVX) was developed by CE separation and electrochemiluminesence detection (ECL). The methods for capillary conditioning and the effect of solvent type were studied. Parameters affecting the CE and ECL were also investigated. Under the optimum conditions, the two analytes were well separated within 9 min. The LODs (S/N = 3) in standard solution are 4.8 x 10(-7) mol/L for NOR and 6.4 x 10(-7) mol/L for LVX, respectively. The precisions of intraday and interday are less than 4.2 and 8.1%, respectively. The LOQs (S/N = 10) in real human urine samples are 1.2 x 10(-6) mol/L for NOR and 1.4 x 10(-6) mol/L for LVX, respectively. The applicability of the proposed method was illustrated in the determination of NOR and LVX in human urine samples and the monitoring of pharmacokinetics for NOR. The recoveries of NOR and LVX at different levels in human urine samples were between 84.3 and 92.3%.     

Determination of erythromycin A in rat plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with chemiluminescence detection using Tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II)

A simple and sensitive method was developed for the determination of erythromycin A (EA), decladinosyl erythromycin A (dClEA) and erythromycin B (EB) in rat plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrogenerated chemiluminescence detection using Tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II). The recovery rates of EA, dClEA and EB were 97, 94 and 85% from rat plasma and 89, 83 and 93% from rat urine, respectively. The calibration curves were linear over the concentration ranges 0.05-5 microg/mL for plasma and 0.5-50 microg/mL for urine. The precision and accuracy for all analytes in rat plasma were < or =9.0 and -6.3-7.2%, and those in urine were < or =9.4% and -6.1-7.6%, respectively. This method proved to be a powerful tool for determination of EA, dClEA and EB concentrations in samples from rats.     

强碱阴离子交换树脂及碱性洗脱剂的离子排阻/阴离子交换色谱法同时测定NH4+ ，NO2-和NO3-（英文）

Ion-exclusion/anion-exchange chromatography(IEC/AEC) on a combination of a strongly basic anion-exchange resin in the OH——form with basic eluent has been developed.The separation mechanism is based on the ion-exclusion/penetration effect for cations and the anion-exchange effect for anions to anion-exchange resin phase.This system is useful for simultaneous separation and determination of ammonium ion(NH+4),nitrite ion(NO-2),and nitrate ion(NO-3) in water samples.The resolution of analyte ions can be manipulated by changing the concentration of base in eluent on a polystyrene-divinylbenzene based strongly basic anion-exchange resin column.In this study,several separation columns,which consisted of different particle sizes,different functional groups and different anion-exchange capacities,were compared.As the results,the separation column with the smaller anion-exchange capacity(TSKgel Super IC-Anion) showed well-resolved separation of cations and anions.In the optimization of the basic eluent,lithium hydroxide(LiOH) was used as the eluent and the optimal concentration was concluded to be 2 mmol/L,considering the resolution of analyte ions and the whole retention times.In the optimal conditions,the relative standard deviations of the peak areas and the retention times of NH+4,NO-2,and NO-3 ranged 1.28%-3.57% and 0.54%-1.55%,respectively.The limits of detection at signal-to-noise of 3 were 4.10 μmol/L for NH+4,1.87 μmol/L for NO-2 and 2.83 μmol/L for NO-3.     

Electrochemical behavior and voltammetric determination of norfloxacin at glassy carbon electrode modified with multi walled carbon nanotubes/Nafion

A simple and rapid electrochemical method is developed for the determination of trace-level norfloxacin, based on the excellent properties of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The MWCNTs/Nafion film-coated glassy carbon electrode (GCE) is constructed and the electrochemical behavior of norfloxacin at the electrode is investigated in detail. The results indicate that MWCNTs modified glassy carbon electrode exhibited efficiently electrocatalytic oxidation for norfloxacin (NFX) with relatively high sensitivity, stability and life time. Under conditions of cyclic voltammetry, the current for oxidation of selected analyte is enhanced significantly in comparison to the bare GCE. The electrocatalytic behavior is further exploited as a sensitive detection scheme for the analyte determinations by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). Under optimized condition in voltammetric method the concentration calibration range and detection limit (S/N=3) are 0.1-100 micromol/L and 5 x 10(-8)mol/L for NFX. The proposed method was successfully applied to NFX determination in tablets. The analytical performance of this sensor has been evaluated for detection of the analyte in urine as a real sample.     

Liquid chromatographic determination of ornithine and lysine based on intramolecular excimer-forming fluorescence derivatization.

A highly sensitive and selective fluorometric determination method for ornithine and lysine has been developed. This method is based on an intramolecular excimer-forming fluorescence derivatization with a pyrene reagent, 4-(1-pyrene)butyric acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (PSE), followed by reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC). The analytes, containing two amino moieties in a molecule, were converted to the corresponding dipyrene-labeled derivatives by reaction with PSE. The derivatives afforded intramolecular excimer fluorescence (450-550 nm) which can clearly be discriminated from the normal fluorescence (370-420 nm) emitted from PSE and monopyrene-labeled derivatives of monoamines. The structures of the derivatives and the emission of excimer fluorescence were confirmed by LC with mass spectrometry and with three-dimensional fluorescence detection system, respectively. The PSE derivatives of ornithine and lysine could be separated by reversed-phase LC on ODS column with isocratic elution. The detection limits (signal-to-noise ratio = 3) for ornithine and lysine were 3.5 and 3.7 fmol, respectively, for a 20-microl injection. Furthermore, this method had enough selectivity and sensitivity for the determination of ornithine and lysine in normal human urine.     

Direct determination of S-(-)- and R-(+)-propranolol glucuronide in rat hepatic microsomes by RP-HPLC

Propranolol, available commercially as a racemic mixture, is a non-selective beta-adrenergic blocking agent used in the treatment of hypertension, angina pectoris and cardiac arrhythmias. We have developed and validated an RP-HPLC assay method for direct determination of R-(+)- and S-(-)-propranolol glucuronide in rat hepatic microsomes to investigate the enantioselectivity of propranolol glucuronidation metabolism. A baseline separation of propranolol glucuronide enantiomers was achieved on a 5 microm reversed-phase ODS column, with a mixture of phosphate buffer (pH 3.5, 0.067 mol/L) and methanol (55:45, v/v) as mobile phase. Ultraviolet detection was set at 220 nm, and p-nitrobenzoic acid was used as internal standard. The standard curve of assay for R-(+)- and S-(-)-propranolol glucuronide in spiked microsomal incubate showed good linearity throughout the concentration range from 0.50 to 20.0 micromol/L. The analytical method affords average recovery of 99.8 and 100.1% for R-(+)- and S-(-)-propranolol glucuronide, respectively. The method provides a high sensitivity and good precision for R-(+)- and S-(-)-propranolol glucuronide (RSD < 10%). The LOD was 0.15 micromol/L and the LOQ was 0.5 micromol/L (RSD < 8%, n = 5) for both R-(+)- and S-(-)-propranolol glucuronide. The method is simple, precise and accurate, and is suitable for quantifying the propranolol glucuronides enantiomers in rat hepatic microsomes.     

Amperometric sensor for nitrite based on copper tetrasulphonated phthalocyanine immobilized with poly-L-lysine film

In this work, an amperometric sensor for nitrite detection based on a glassy carbon electrode modified with copper tetrasulphonated phthalocyanine immobilized by polycationic poly-L-lysine film is presented. The modified electrode showed an excellent catalytic activity toward nitrite oxidation. A linear response range from 0.12 up to 12.20 micromol L(-1) was obtained with a sensitivity of 0.83 microA L micromol(-1). The detection limit for nitrite was 36 nmol L(-1). The repeatability of the proposed sensor, evaluated in terms of relative standard deviation, was 1% for 10 measurements of 10 micromol L(-1) nitrite solution. Finally, the developed sensor was applied for nitrite determination in water samples and the results were in agreement to the comparative method. The average recovery for the samples was 101 (+/-4)%.