An electrochemical sensor based on the electrocatalytic activity of functionalized graphene for sensitive detection of paracetamol is presented. The electrochemical behaviors of paracetamol on graphene-modified glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs) were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and square-wave voltammetry. The results showed that the graphene-modified electrode exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity to paracetamol. A quasi-reversible redox process of paracetamol at the modified electrode was obtained, and the over-potential of paracetamol decreased significantly compared with that at the bare GCE. Such electrocatalytic behavior of graphene is attributed to its unique physical and chemical properties, e.g., subtle electronic characteristics, attractive pi-pi interaction, and strong adsorptive capability. This electrochemical sensor shows an excellent performance for detecting paracetamol with a detection limit of 3.2 x 10(-8) M, a reproducibility of 5.2% relative standard deviation, and a satisfied recovery from 96.4% to 103.3%. The sensor shows great promise for simple, sensitive, and quantitative detection and screening of paracetamol. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.