Amine-functionalized carbon-fiber microelectrodes for enhanced ATP detection with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Neuroscience
• Materials Science

Background:

• Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a crucial extracellular signaling molecule and neurotransmitter.
• Current methods for ATP detection often lack temporal resolution or direct measurement capabilities.
• Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) with carbon-fiber microelectrodes is used for real-time neurotransmitter detection, but direct ATP detection is challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To improve direct electrochemical detection of adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
• To investigate the effect of amine functionalization on carbon-fiber electrode performance for ATP detection.
• To develop a method for enhanced real-time ATP monitoring in neurological research.

Main Methods:

• Carbon-fiber surfaces were modified using N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide (EDC) and ethylenediamine (EDA).
• This EDC-EDA treatment introduces amine (NH2) groups onto the carbon surface.
• X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) was used to quantify the increase in amine functionality.

Main Results:

• Amine functionalization of carbon-fiber surfaces resulted in a 5.2 ± 2.5-fold increase in ATP current.
• XPS analysis showed an approximately 9-fold increase in amine functionality on the modified carbon surface.
• The results demonstrate that amine-rich surfaces enhance the interaction with and detection of ATP.

Conclusions:

• Amine-functionalized carbon-fiber electrodes significantly improve direct electrochemical detection of ATP.
• This surface modification strategy enhances the sensitivity and efficiency of ATP measurement using FSCV.
• The developed method offers a promising approach for improved direct and rapid neurological ATP detection.