Nitric oxide determination by amperometric carbon fiber microelectrode

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Nitric oxide (NO) is a crucial signaling molecule in cardiovascular physiology.
• Accurate measurement of NO release is essential for understanding vascular function.
• Development of selective and sensitive NO sensors is an ongoing challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a novel amperometric microsensor for nitric oxide (NO) detection.
• To evaluate the sensor's performance, including sensitivity, response time, and interference effects.
• To apply the developed sensor for in vitro measurement of NO release from biological tissue.

Main Methods:

• Modification of a carbon fiber electrode with Nafion and cellulose acetate (CA).
• Amperometric detection of nitric oxide.
• Evaluation of sensor parameters: detection limit, response time, reproducibility, and interference from nitrite, nitrate, and arginine.
• In vitro determination of NO release from porcine aorta stimulated by calcium ionophore A23187 (CI).

Main Results:

• The modified electrode successfully functioned as an amperometric microsensor for NO.
• The sensor demonstrated good sensitivity, rapid response time, and reproducibility.
• Minimal interference was observed from common interfering species like nitrite, nitrate, and arginine.
• The sensor effectively quantified NO release from porcine aorta tissue ex vivo.

Conclusions:

• The developed Nafion/CA modified carbon fiber electrode is a viable tool for NO detection.
• This amperometric microsensor offers a reliable method for in vitro NO measurements in biological samples.
• The sensor's performance characteristics make it suitable for studying NO-related physiological and pathological processes.