Highly selective electrochemical method for the detection of serotonin at carbon fiber microelectrode modified with gold nanoflowers and overoxidized polypyrrole

A highly selective and sensitive electrochemical method was developed for the detection of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) at gold nanoflowers (Au NFs) and overoxidized polypyrrole (OPPy) modified carbon fiber microelectrode (CFME). Carbon fiber was firstly modified with gold nanoflowers using electroless deposition method, and then modified with overoxidized polypyrrole using electrochemical polymerization and overoxidization to obtain OPPy/Au NFs/CFME. The obtained OPPy/Au NFs/CFME was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical techniques. It was found that the OPPy/Au NFs/CFME showed good sensitivity for the detection of 5-HT in the range of 10 nmol/L − 7.0 μmol/L with detection limit of 2.3 nmol/L, and negligible interferences from ascorbic acid, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid and uric acid. The OPPy/Au NFs/CFME was successfully applied to the detection of 5-HT in human serum samples with good recovery. The work demonstrates that the electrochemical method, incorporating signal amplification of Au NFs with higher cation selection of OPPy, provides a promising tool for the detection of 5-HT in biological systems