Palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) modified indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode was fabricated via electrospinning followed by calcination. The results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicated the PdNPs were immobilized on the ITO electrode surface successfully. The electrochemical behavior of the modified electrodes could be adjusted easily by changing the collected time of electrospinning. The prepared electrodes exhibited high sensitivity, good reproducibility and stability toward NO2-. The current responses were linear with NO2- concentrations in a wide range with low detection limit. The proposed method can be successfully applied to the determination of NO2- in real water samples. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.