Electrochemical sensing of dopamine using modified glassy carbon electrode
Original scientific paper
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5599/jese.3638Keywords:
Human central nervous system, neurotransmitter sensing, graphene nanocomposite, transition metal oxides, real samplesAbstract
Dopamine (DPM), a crucial neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, regulates motor function, reward circuits, and cognition. Abnormal DPM levels are linked to neurological disorders such as depression, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease. Electrochemical sensors allow for the fast, sensitive, selective, and economical detection of DPM. In this work, an electrochemical sensor to quantify DPM was designed using a reduced graphene oxide - transition metal oxide, rGO-Cu2O/Fe2O3, nanocomposite. The glassy carbon electrode was then modified, and its electrochemical performance was assessed using cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). On the surface of the modified electrode containing the rGO-Cu2O/Fe2O3 nanocomposite, the oxidation current peak of DPM was twelve times greater than that of the electrode without modification. The findings indicated that the DPM detection limit ranged from 0.005 to 750.0 μM and 2.0 nM. With an effectiveness of 98.2 to 104.0 %, the electrochemical sensor for assessing DPM in DPM injection and urine samples also demonstrates a good recovery. Good selectivity, repeatability, and reproducibility are demonstrated by the produced sensor for DPM measurement.
Downloads
References
[1] M. Li, L. Zhou, X. Sun, Y. Yang, C. Zhang, T. Wang, F. Fu, Dopamine, a co-regulatory component, bridges the central nervous system and the immune system, Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy 145 (2022) 112458. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112458 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112458
[2] M. Cohen, S. Atzil, A metabolic framework for reward: Redefining dopamine and opioids as physiological agents, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 184 (2026) 106608. 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2026.106608 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2026.106608
[3] J. N. Joyce, A. M. Murray, H. I. Hurtig, G. L. Gottlieb, J. Q. Trojanowski, Loss of dopamine D2 receptors in Alzheimer's disease with parkinsonism but not Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease, Neuropsychopharmacology 19(6) (1998) 472-480. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0893-133X(98)00044-X DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0893-133X(98)00044-X
[4] R. Hadar, M. Voget, V. Vengeliene, J. K. Haumesser, C. van Riesen, Y. Avchalumov, R. Spanagel, C. Winter, Altered neural oscillations and elevated dopamine levels in the reward pathway during alcohol relapse, Behavioural Brain Research 316 (2017) 131-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2016.08.045 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2016.08.045
[5] M. A. Ramadan, I. Almasri, G. Khayal, Spectrophotometric determination of dopamine in bulk and dosage forms using 2, 4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, Turkish Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 17(6) (2020) 679. https://doi.org/10.4274/tjps.galenos.2019.25902 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4274/tjps.galenos.2019.25902
[6] S. S. Tessema, H. Liu, A. Abdussalam, T. Lijalem, A. A. Alboull, A. Hussain, S. Hanif, G. Xu, Co3O4/CuO hollow nanocages as effective bimetallic nanocatalysts of luminol/H2O2 chemiluminescence for dopamine detection, Microchemical Journal 224 (2026) 117924. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2026.117924 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2026.117924
[7] A. Naccarato, E. Gionfriddo, G. Sindona, A. Tagarelli, Development of a simple and rapid solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry method for the analysis of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine in human urine, Analytica Chimica Acta 810 (2014) 17-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2013.11.058 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2013.11.058
[8] X. Wang, L. Wang, M. Wu, Y. Zheng, R. Wang, T. Shao, S. Zeng, A. Li, R. Li, Q. Yue, Portable and intelligent ratio fluorometry and colorimetry for dual-mode detection of dopamine based on B, N-codoped carbon dots and machine learning, Talanta 294 (2025) 128288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2025.128288 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2025.128288
[9] M. Tsunoda, C. Aoyama, H. Nomura, T. Toyoda, N. Matsuki, T. Funatsu, Simultaneous deter-mi¬nation of dopamine and 3, 4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid in mouse striatum using mixed-mode reversed-phase and cation-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography, Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis 51 (2010) 712-715. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpba.2009.09.045 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpba.2009.09.045
[10] X. Wang, Y. Chen, P. Jia, Q. An, Li X., Sun J., Z. Su, Rapid ratiometric fluorescence detection of dopamine hydrochloride in pork extracts using a Zn/Cd bimetallic MOF, Microchemical Journal 229 (2026) 119336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2026.119336 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2026.119336
[11] Y. Zhao, S. Zhao, J. Huang, F. Ye, Quantum dot-enhanced chemiluminescence detection for simultaneous determination of dopamine and epinephrine by capillary electrophoresis, Talanta 85(5) (2011) 2650-2654. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2011.08.032 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2011.08.032
[12] A. O. Imarah, N. Hasan, M. G. Alabbasi, ZnO-modified carbon paste electrode for electrochemical sensing of dopamine in the presence of tyrosine, ADMET and DMPK 13 (2025) 3010. https://doi.org/10.5599/admet.3010 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5599/admet.3010
[13] Chen H. C., Huang WW, Lin Y. S., Chang H. H. Gold-core silver-shell nanoparticles modified magnetic-based metal-organic frameworks for dopamine sensing electrodes: Magnetic Fe-based and LSPR gain mechanisms, Journal of Alloys and Compounds 1065 (2026) 188120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2026.188120 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2026.188120
[14] A. H. Gatea, A. S. Ajel, R. M. Mhaibes, A new method for measuring dopamine in the presence of uric acid employing a carbon paste electrode modified with the UiO-66 metal organic framework-graphene oxide nanocomposite, ADMET and DMPK 13 (2025) 2593. https://doi.org/10.5599/admet.2593 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5599/admet.2593
[15] W. T. Wahyuni, S. A. Hasnawati Ta'alia, A. Y. Akbar, B. R. Elvira, I. Rahmawati, R. A. Wahyuono, B. R. Putra, Electrochemical sensors based on the composite of reduced graphene oxide and a multiwalled carbon nanotube-modified glassy carbon electrode for simultaneous detection of hydroquinone, dopamine, and uric acid, RSC Advances 14(38) (2024) 27999-28016. https://doi.org/10.1039/d4ra05537c DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D4RA05537C
[16] J. Chen, X. Ran, X. Ding, D. Zhang, Dual electrochemical quantitative analysis of dopamine based on flow injection amperometry with double glassy carbon electrodes, Electrochemistry Communications 151 (2023) 107511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elecom.2023.107511 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elecom.2023.107511
[17] L. Meng, C. Qing, Y. Wang, Y. Cai, H. Wei, M. Zhang, A UiO-66-derived nano-separation microelectrode for in vivo dopamine sensing with high sensitivity and selectivity, Chemical Communications 62(44) (2026) 11184-11187. https://doi.org/10.1039/d6cc01892k DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D6CC01892K
[18] L. M. Ntuli, A. Nyembwe, G. Mwengula, T. Munonde, J. Mulopo, Recent advances in metal oxide, bimetallic nanocomposites, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and non-invasive tech-no¬logies for biofluid-based glucose sensors: A comprehensive review, International Journal of Electrochemical Science 20 (2025) 101184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijoes.2025.101184 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijoes.2025.101184
[19] A. S. Adekunle, E. O. Aluko, E. S. Eluwale, M. O. Bello, M. J. Madito, F. G Xolile., T. T. Nkambule, P. R. Makgwane, B. B. Mamba, Transition Metal Oxides as Electrode Materials for Advanced Energy Storage-A Decade of Research on Batteries and Supercapacitors, Chemical Physics Impact 13 (2026) 101112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chphi.2026.101112 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chphi.2026.101112
[20] J. Zoubir, N. Bougdour, C. Radaa, A. Idlahcen, I. Bakas, A. Assabbane, Elaboration of a novel nanosensor using nanoparticles of α-Fe2O3 magnetic cores for the detection of metroni¬da-zole drug. Urine human and tap water, Sensors International 229 (2022) 100160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sintl.2022.100160 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sintl.2022.100160
[21] F. M. Altalbawy, Q. A. Mohammed, H. K. Jaafar, N. Fayzullaev, M. A. Vora, S. Ganesan, R. Sharma, G. Durga, P. Sharma, S. Amiri, pH-dependent rGO/Cu-Cu2O electrodes with a porous PVA/PEO film for high-sensitivity non-enzymatic glucose sensing: a COMSOL multiphysics study, RSC Advances 16(19) (2026) 17536-17554. https://doi.org/10.1039/d5ra09249c DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D5RA09249C
[22] S. S. Gaikwad, S. S. Warule, M. D. Babar, S. K. Pardeshi, S. S. Dahiwale, M. A. More, Facile synthesis of Cu2O-rGO nanocomposite with enhanced electrochemical performance as a supercapacitor electrode, Next Materials 10 (2026) 101430. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nxmate.2025.101430 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nxmate.2025.101430
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Abbas Sami Abd, Aymen Ameen Alwash, Hayfaa A Mubarak, Ahmed Amer Al-Salman, Huda Hadi Nameh

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.



