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Ascorbic acid does not necessarily interfere with the electrochemical detection of dopamine
Samuel Rantataro1, Laura Ferrer Pascual2, Tomi Laurila2,3
1Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Aalto University, 02150, Espoo, Finland. samuel.rantataro@aalto.fi.
Scientific Reports
|November 23, 2022
Summary
Ascorbic acid (AA) interference with neurotransmitter detection is not always an issue. Rapid AA decay in cell medium allows for accurate dopamine monitoring using carbon nanotube electrodes.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Neuroscience
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Ascorbic acid (AA) is commonly believed to interfere with electrochemical neurotransmitter detection due to overlapping oxidation potentials.
- High AA concentrations relative to neurotransmitters pose significant detection challenges, necessitating stable AA levels or selective sensors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the actual interference of ascorbic acid in electrochemical neurotransmitter detection.
- To demonstrate that AA interference can be overcome, enabling accurate neurotransmitter monitoring.
Main Methods:
- Studied the decay kinetics of ascorbic acid in cell culture medium.
- Utilized an unmodified single-wall carbon nanotube electrode for dopamine measurement.
- Measured dopamine at physiologically relevant concentrations (25-1000 nM) in human midbrain organoid medium.
Main Results:
- Ascorbic acid exhibits rapid decay in cell culture medium, with a half-life of 2.1 hours.
- AA concentration decreased by 93% within 8 hours and 99.75% within 18 hours.
- Dopamine was accurately measured within a physiologically relevant range using carbon nanotube electrodes, showing a highly linear response.
Conclusions:
- Ascorbic acid's rapid decay eliminates its interference over time, allowing for effective neurotransmitter monitoring.
- Unmodified single-wall carbon nanotube electrodes are suitable for precise dopamine detection in complex biological media.
- Experimental design can mitigate complications arising from AA's effect on dopamine oxidation currents.
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