Electrochemical Behavior of Ascorbic Acid on Hexaaza Macrocyclic Copper(II) Complex Modified Au Electrode and Its Analytical Application

A novel hexaaza macrocyclic copper(II) complex modified Au electrode was developed and used for the measurement of ascorbic acid. Its electrochemical behavior was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and scanning electrochemical microscopy. This modified electrode exhibited electrocatalytic response to the oxidation of ascorbic acid. Compared with a bare gold electrode, the modified electrode exhibited a 250 mV shift of the oxidation potential of ascorbic acid in the cathodic direction and a marked enhancement of the current response. The response current revealed a good linear relationship with the concentration of ascorbic acid in the range of 5.0×10−7 to 4.0×10−5 mol/L and the detection limit of 4.8×10−8 mol/L (S/N=3) in the pH 4.0 Tris-HCl buffer of ascorbic acid in fruits without any other pretreatment. The concentrations of ascorbic acid measured by this method were in good agreement with the literature values. It is very promising for the modified electrode to be used as an electrochemical sensor for the detection of ascorbic acid.