Real Time In Vivo Measurement of Ascorbate in the Brain Using Carbon Nanotube‐Modified Microelectrodes

A carbon fiber microelectrode modified with a composite film of carbon nanotubes and Nafion was developed for in vivo ascorbate (AA) measurements in brain tissue. The modified‐microelectrodes exhibit an electrocatalytic activity for AA oxidation by shifting the peak potential negatively to ?0.040 V, showing a sensitivity of 37 pA/µM, a detection limit of 2.5 µM, a response time of 0.3 s and don’t respond to several electroactive compounds found in the brain extracellular space. In the rat hippocampus, the basal concentration of AA was 290 µM, and glutamate‐evoked changes in AA were biphasic comprising fast and slow components.