Laser-induced stripping defect for highly selective electrochemical quantification of dopamine: Anti-interference from other catecholamine neurotransmitters

Detecting dopamine (DA) is critical for early diagnosis of neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, the presence of other catecholamine neurotransmitters with structural similarities to DA causes significant interference in its detection. Herein, we introduce S stripping defects via laser-induced MoS 2 to functionalize MoS 2 electrodes and improve their selectivity for DA electrochemical detection. The sensing results show its excellent immunity to interference from other neurotransmitters, ensuring the preservation of the DA electrochemical signal even in the mixed neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine (ACh), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), epinephrine (EP), norepinephrine (NP), and serotonin (5-HT). DFT calculations further reveal that the negatively charged S-stripping defects enhance DA adsorption on the surface of the functionalized MoS 2 electrode, contributing to its excellent performance. Moreover, this functionalized electrodes successfully monitor DA released from living PC12 cells in the presence of other interference, highlighting its potential applicability in intercellular signaling communication.