Simultaneous determination of dopamine, ascorbic acid by polyethylene oxide (PEO) covalently modified glassy carbon electrode

The novel covalently modified glassy carbon electrode with polyethylene oxide has been prepared using an electroadsorption method for the simultaneous determination of dopamine (DA) and ascorbic acid (AA). This new electrode presented an excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of DA and AA by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) methods. The separation potentials of the oxidation peak potentials for them were about 155 mV in CV and 216 mV in DPV. The differences are large enough to determine DA and AA individually and simultaneously. Calibration curves in the ranges of 5.0–40 and 300–1700 μmol L−1 were obtained for DA and AA, respectively. The lowest detection limits (S/N = 3) were 0.25 and 50 μmol L−1 for DA and AA, respectively.

► Polyethylene oxide modified glassy carbon electrode was prepared via an electroabsorption method.
► The modified electrode exhibited high electrochemical sensitivity and selectivity for determination of dopamine and ascorbic acid.
► The process of the electrode reaction is controlled by the diffusion of dopamine and ascorbic acid.
► The detection limit of dopamine determination at the modified electrode surface is obtained 0.25 μmol L−1 (based on the S/N = 3).