ABSTRACT
The development of analyses for foods and agricultural samples presents a major challenge to analytical chemistry, especially in regard to the determination of compounds that have poor optical detection properties (e.g., carbohydrates). Pulsed electrochemical detection (PED) is a revolutionary approach to the direct detection of numerous polar aliphatic compounds. This technique exploits the electrocatalytic activity of noble metal electrode surfaces to oxidize various polar functional groups. Electrode activity is maintained by the application of potential-time waveforms, which combines amperometric detection with on-line cleaning and reactivation. The full potential of PED is best realized when combined with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This chapter reviews the fundamental aspects of PED and summarizes food-and agricultural-related applications from simple carbohydrates to biogenic amines and thiocompounds.
