Summary: A new test that measures dopamine levels in biological fluids could help with the detection of depression, Parkinson’s disease, and other disordered marked by abnormal dopamine levels.
Source: Wiley
Altered levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine are apparent in various conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease and depression.
In research published in ChemistrySelect, investigators describe a quick, sensitive, and simple test to determine dopamine levels in biological fluids.
The method could help clinicians spot abnormal blood levels of dopamine in patients, potentially allowing for earlier disease detection.
The method relies on what are called carbon quantum dots, a type of carbon nanomaterial with photoluminescence properties, and ionic liquid, which is comprised of several mineral anions and organic cations existing in liquid form at room temperature.
“The proposed electrochemical sensor could be an exceptional step forward in dopamine detection and pave the way for the molecular diagnosis of neurological illnesses,” the authors wrote.
About this dopamine research news
Author: Sara Henning-Stout
Source: Wiley
Contact: Sara Henning-Stout – Wiley
Image: The image is in the public domain
Original Research: Open access.
“An Electrochemical Sensor Based on Carbon Quantum Dots and Ionic Liquids for Selective Detection of Dopamine” by Zahra Nazari et al. ChemicalSelect
Abstract
An Electrochemical Sensor Based on Carbon Quantum Dots and Ionic Liquids for Selective Detection of Dopamine
Dopamine (DA) as a neurotransmitter has a pivotal role in the central nervous system. Because of altered levels of DA in various neuroscience diseases, development of a quick, sensitive, and simple analytical approach to determine DA in biological fluids could be very applicable.
In this research, a novel electrochemical sensor based on a carbon paste electrode (CPE) modified with ionic liquid (IL) and carbon quantum dots (CQDs) for measuring DA with uric acid and ascorbic acid was developed. IL and CQDs were synthesized and characterized for their specific properties such as composition, emission, size distribution, and morphology structure.
Then, the modified CPE and different DA concentration was determined via cyclic voltammetry. The modified electrode exhibited great electrocatalytic activity for DA oxidation.
Under optimal conditions, the calibration diagram for DA was linear within the range of 0.1–50 μM in phosphate buffer (pH=7.4) and limit of detection was 0.046 μM. The electrode was successfully used in the determination of DA in real samples and generated acceptable outputs.
The proposed electrochemical sensor could be an exceptional step forward in DA detection and pave the way for the molecular diagnosis of neurological illnesses.
