A cobalt-based glassy carbon (Co/GC) chemically modified electrode (CME) is described for use as an amperometric detector in the flow analysis of mono-, di-and trisaccharides. The preparation of the electrode is very easy and rapid. As with copper-and nickel-based glassy carbon electrodes, the Co/GC CME allows the electrocatalytic oxidation of scarcely electroactive compounds without recourse to pulsed waveform potentials. Hence, constant-potential amperometric detection is feasible and it has been applied successfully to reducing and non-reducing sugars. The chemical nature of cobalt species on glassy carbon was investigated using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and the results indicate that a Co(III) oxide hydroxide is present on the glassy carbon surface. However, electrochemical detection in an alkaline mobile phase of aliphatic organic compounds seems to take place through mediation of Co(IV) species produced from the oxidation of Co(III) during anodic polarization. Carbohydrates and related polyhydroxy compounds were determined at the micromolar level with an operating potential of 0.50 V vs. Ag/AgC1 after anion-exchange chromatographic separation. The detector responds linearly to an increase in glucose concentration with a linear dynamic range that extends over three orders of magnitude (0.5/zM-0.5 raM).