Neurotransmitter release is important to study in order to better understand neurological diseases and treatment approaches. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter known to play key roles in the etiology of neuropsychiatric disorders. Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) has enabled the detection of neurochemicals, including serotonin, on a sub-second timescale via the well-established carbon fiber microelectrode (CFME). However, poor chronic stability and biofouling, i.e., the adsorption of interferent proteins to the electrode surface upon implantation, pose challenges in the natural physiological environment. We have recently developed a uniquely designed, freestanding, all-diamond boron-doped diamond microelectrode (BDDME) for electrochemical measurements. Key potential advantages of the device include customizable electrode site layouts, a wider working potential window, improved stability, and resistance to biofouling. Here, we present a first report on the electrochemical behavior of the BDDME in comparison with CFME by investigating in vitro serotonin (5-HT) responses with varying FSCV waveform parameters and biofouling conditions. While the CFME delivered lower limits of detection, we also found that BDDMEs showed more sustained 5-HT responses to increasing or changing FSCV waveform-switching potential and frequency, as well as to higher analyte concentrations. Biofouling-induced current reductions were significantly less pronounced at the BDDME when using a "Jackson" waveform compared to CFMEs. These findings are important steps towards the development and optimization of the BDDME as a chronically implanted biosensor for in vivo neurotransmitter detection.
Keywords: biofouling; boron-doped diamond; carbon fiber; fast-scan cyclic voltammetry; microelectrodes; neurotransmitter detection; serotonin.