ELECTROCHEMICAL BEHAVIOR OF HYDROQUINONE UNDER PHYSIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND HPLC IDENTIFICATION OF ITS ELECTRODE REACTION PRODUCTS

The electrochemical behavior of hydroquinone at glassy carbon electrode was studied by cyclic voltammetry,and it was found from the cyclic voltammogram that when scanning successively for 20 times in the potential range of 0 to 1.6 V,an oxidation peak potential (Epa) was observed at around 0.63 V,and its peak current was decreased with the increase of time of scanning,showing that the electrode reaction was an irreversible process,and that when the potential range was change to -1.4-1.6 V and scanned successively only for several times,a pair of redox peak potentials was observed at Epa=0.25 V and Epc=-0.08 V,showing a reversible process at the electrode.The reaction products at the electrode were studied and identified by RHPLC,the results obtained as shown by the chromatograms were in consistency with those of electrochemical method.Based on the results obtained,the important role of hydroquinone in the respiratory chain was discussed.