Electrochemical oxidation of glucose at Hg adatom-modified Au electrode in alkaline aqueous solution

Electrochemical oxidation of glucose at Hg adatom-modified Au polycrystalline electrode was examined in alkaline aqueous solutions using cyclic voltammetry. Two oxidation current peaks for glucose were observed on Hg adatom-modified Au electrode at almost the same potentials as those observed on a bare Au electrode. The oxidation peak currents were much larger than those on a bare Au electrode in the concentration range from 0.5 to 20 mM. The observed enhancement of the glucose oxidation was considered to be due to the increase in the amount of the adsorbed OH- on the Hg adatom-modified Au electrode. The reaction was catalyzed through the pairing of glucose and the intermediate in the oxidation to the large amount of the adsorbed OH- on the Hg adatom-modified Au electrode. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.