L-Cysteine anchored Co-MOF derived cobalt-nitrogen-carbon hierarchical architecture as an efficient sensor for the electrochemical detection of catecholamine

Dopamine (DA) is considered a critical neurotransmitter related to different neurological disorders. Therefore, finding a sensitive and selective technique for the early diagnosis of these diseases is important. Herein, we used a cobalt-nitrogen and sulfur-doped carbon hierarchical architecture (Co-N,S-C) as a sensor for the detection of DA. The synthesized materials were characterized by various physicochemical techniques. The obtained hierarchical material doped with heteroatoms not only provided sufficient electroactive sites but also enhanced the conductivity of the materials. The electrochemical properties and catalytic activity of the Co-N,S-C-modified glassy carbon electrodes were investigated using cyclic voltammetry, impedance spectroscopy, linear swift voltammetry (LSV), and square wave voltammetry (SWV). The SWV indicates that the sensor provides a wide linear range of 5–115 µM and a lower limit of detection (0.43 µM) for DA. The developed sensor was successfully utilized for the electrochemical detection of DA in human urine samples, with high accuracy and reliability. Hopefully, our method will be helpful for the detection of other neurotransmitters in the near future.