A novel modified electrode（HMCS/SPCE) was developed to electrochemically detect nicotine based on screen-printed carbon electrodes（SPCE) modified with hollow mesoporous carbon spheres（HMCS) synthesized through one step process.HMCS and HMCS/SPCE were characterized by scanning electron microscopy（SEM),transmission electron microscopy（TEM),X-ray diffraction（XRD),X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy（XPS) and Raman spectrometry.Due to the superior electrical conductivity and high electrochemical active sites of HMCS,nicotine was significantly electro-oxidized on the interface of HMCS/SPCE.The proposed sensor provided linear responses upon nicotine in the concentration range of 0-500 μmol/L.The sensitivity was 0.850 mA/(cm2?mmol?L),and the limit of detection was calculated to be 0.058 μmol/L.With a favourable reproducibility and a good stability,the sensor could be used to detect nicotine in cigarette samples accurately.