Electrochemical sensor for nitric oxide using layered films composed of a polycationic dendrimer and nickel(II) phthalocyaninetetrasulfonate deposited on a carbon fiber electrode

We have developed an electrochemical sensor for nitric oxide that is based on multi-layers of nickel(II) phthalocyaninetetrasulfonate and a polyamidoamine dendrimer assembled on the surface of a carbon-fiber microelectrode. This sensor responds to nitric oxide at a working potential of 800 mV with a sensitivity of 5.54 pAa (TM)mu MaEuro3/4(1) which, however, depends on the dendrimer layer position deposited on the microelectrode. The limit of detection is as low as 5.5 mu M at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The electrode exhibits good selectivity for nitric oxide over common interferents including dopamine, nitrite, hydrogen peroxide, norepinephrine, epinephrine and ascorbic acid.