A new area of simple and effective wurtzite gallium nitride (GaN) electrodes for silver (I) detection using anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) has been demonstrated. GaN electrode has exhibited obvious advantages over mercury (Hg) in silver ion evolution for its nontoxicity and wide range of anodic potential. ASV tests confirm GaN electrodes exhibit desirable stability and very sensitive response to Ag(I) in aqueous solution. Comparing with GaN nanostructures, bulky GaN thin film shows superior electrochemical sensitivity with Ag(I) detection limit as low as 10 ppb. However, modified GaN nanostructure electrodes with better conductivity are supposed to have more promising applications in trace silver ion detection. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.