The voltammetric oxidation and determination of phenylephrine hydrochloride was studied at a carbon paste electrode (CPE) in the presence of sodium-dodecyl sulfate (SDS) by cyclic and differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry. The experimental parameters, such as SDS concentration, pH, scan rate, accumulation time and accumulation potential were optimized. Under optimal conditions the peak current was proportional to phenylephrine concentration in the range of 0.04-100 mu M with limit of detection 0.0097 mu M. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of phenylephrine in pharmaceutical samples. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.