An electrochemical sensor based on graphene and gold nanoparticles has been developed for the detection of trace Cu2+ with the anodic stripping voltammetry analysis. The Au-GR/GCE electrode was constructed by the electrophoretic deposition and electrochemical reduction of graphene oxide on GCE electrode, followed by the electrochemical deposition of AuNPs on the GR/GCE electrode. The morphology, structure and electrochemical performance of chemically modified electrodes are characterized by SEM, AFM, cyclic voltammetry and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy. Differential pulse voltammetry was employed for evaluating detection of trace Cu2+ through the accumulation process. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the Au-GR/GCE electrode exhibited excellent stripping response of Cu2+ and the stripping peak currents linearly increased with the increasing concentration of Cu2+. The limit of detection was estimated to be 0.028 nM (S/N = 3). (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.