A novel amperometric sensor for the determination of nitric oxide, and its application in rat liver cells

A novel amperometric nitric oxide sensor with a wide linear range, low detection limit and fast response time was developed. The sensor was fabricated using a poly-brilliant cresyl blue (PBCB)/Nafion film modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The PBCB on the working GCE surface dramatically improves the oxidation response of nitric oxide and lowers the required potential for the two-step oxidation of NO. Otherwise, Nafion coated onto the film electrode surface does not only improve the selectivity of the sensor, but also further lowers the active energy of the direct three-electron oxidation of NO to nitrate. The effect of the preanodic time and the film thickness of the electropolymerization on the nitric oxide response as well as the volume of Nafion coated onto the surface and the potential for amperometric detection were optimized. This novel sensor has been applied to the determination of NO released from rat liver cells, and the result is satisfactory.