Cathodic pretreatment improves the resistance of boron-doped diamond electrodes to dopamine fouling

Boron-doped diamond (BDD) has attracted increasing attention as a reliable and robust electrode material. This surface has shown its potential in water treatment and ozone generation, and its increased resistance to dopamine (DA) or serotonin foulings [1–3] makes it a promising candidate for bio-analysis [4–7]. Even though the native BDD is hydrogen-terminated, its surface can be modified by adequate pretreatments. Cathodic or anodic pretreatments in acids have been found to regenerate a fouled BDD electrode [8] and to alter the response of BDD, the cathodic one leading to enhanced electrochemical responses [9]. Different preparation procedures for BDD have been found to show different electrochemical responses and to allow for the separation of DA and ascorbic acid oxidation signals [5]. In this communication, the effect of pretreatment on DA fouling has been investigated.