Abstract The electrochemical oxidation of salicylic acid (SA) has been studied on a glassy carbon electrode using cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) method. SA gives a single irreversible oxidation wave over the wide pH range studied. The irreversibility of the electrode process was verified by different criteria. The mechanism of oxidation is discussed. Using differential pulse voltammetry, SA yielded a well¬defined voltammetric response in Britton–Robinson buffer solution, pH 1.37 at a peak potential of 940 mV (versus Ag/AgCl). The method was linear over the SA concentration range: 20 –