Analytical Sciences

Disposable Amperometric Sensor for Neurotransmitters Based on Screen-Printed Electrodes Modified with a Thin Iridium Oxide Film

Abdollah SALIMI,* Vali ALIZADEH,* and Richard G. COMPTON**

*Department of Chemistry, Kurdistan University, P.O. Box 416, Sanandaj, Iran
**Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Oxford University, South Parks Road, OX1 3QZ, Oxford UK

Potential cycling in the range from -0.2 to +1.2 V is used for the electrodeposition of hydrous iridium oxide films onto a screen-printed electrode from a saturated solution of alkaline iridium(III) solution. The iridium oxide redox couple shows a stable and obvious reversible redox, with the formal potential being pH dependent in the range 1 - 14. The properties, stability and electrochemical properties of iridium oxide films were investigated by cyclic voltammetry. A modified electrode showed excellent catalytic activity toward the oxidation of neurotransmitters (catecholamines) over a wide pH range (2 - 8). The electrocatalytic behavior is further exploited as a sensitive detection scheme for adrenaline and dopamine by hydrodynamic amperometry. Under the optimized conditions, the calibration curves are linear in the concentration range 0.1 - 70 and 0.1 - 15 µM for dopamine and adrenaline determination, respectively. The detection limit and sensitivity are 30 nM and 30 nA/µM for adrenaline and 15 nM and 80 nA/µM for dopamine. Finally, the analytical performance of the modified electrode was demonstrated for the elimination of interference by uric acid in catecholamines determination when present in a 1000-fold concentration excess.

J-STAGE: View this article in J-STAGE