Platelet-like copper oxide nanostructures were prepared by a hydrothermal method. Various techniques like X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were used to characterize the structure and morphology of the as-prepared products. The electrocatalytic oxidation of carbohydrates and dopamine on the surface of the modified electrode were studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and chronoamperometry (CA). Under the optimal experimental condition, the CuO nanoplatelets (CuO NPlts) loaded on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) exhibited excellent sensitivity in the linear concentration range of carbohydrates, good stability and reproducibility. Interferences from other biological compounds were studied and results indicated good selectivity for glucose, sucrose, and fructose. Apart from the detection of carbohydrates, the electrode was tested for detection possibility of dopamine in the range of 10-80 lsM in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) with a detection limit of 8.25 mu M. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.