Polyeugenol Modified Electrode For Selective Determination of Neurotransmitter Catechol in the Presence of Ascorbic Acid on Different Working Electrodes

A gold, carbon, palladium and platinum electrode were modified with polyeugenol to detect catechol. These four different working electrodes were studied to determine the optimum modified working electrode material (Au, C, Pd, and Pt) to utilize in the detection of neurotransmitters such as catechol in the presence of ascorbic acid. The modified polyeugenol gold electrode and polyeugenol carbon electrode exhibited the best responses to neurotransmitter catechol in the presence of common interference ascorbic acid. The modified polyeugenol on gold was found to be stable, reversible and free from fouling overall in the presence of ascorbic acid and gave a more reversible response. The response to catechol and ascorbic acid at equal concentrations was compared for the modified gold polyeugenol electrode versus the modified gold poly-3-methylthiophene electrode. It was found that the polyeugenol gold electrode exhibited the most reversible response and did detect both oxidation and reduction peak unlike the poly-3-methylthiophene gold electrode. The design of this experiment has allowed students to explore the use of controlled potential electrolysis to grow a polymer on different electrode surfaces (Au, C, Pd, and Pt) and then utilize cyclic voltammetry to detect catechol in the presence of ascorbic acid. Our students have gained electrochemical instrumentation skills and studying redox reactions of catechol in the presence of ascorbic acid. This experiment has been utilized to teach the electrochemical software at the high school student level and has allowed our students to understand more about the oxidation and reduction reactions in the presence of common interferences.