Recent Advances and Perspective on Design and Synthesis of Electrode Materials for Electrochemical Sensing of Heavy Metals

Abstract

The increase in release of toxic heavy metals into natural water attracts much attention due to its devastating effect on ecology and human health. The design and implementation of green electrode materials is pivotal for improving the electrochemical performance of in situ heavy metal monitoring. This work reviews various novel electrode materials and hybrid materials that improve electrochemical detection. Modified green and novel electrode materials offer better performance due to their improved deposition with wide linear and enhanced response under optimized sensing parameters. In particular, recent works related to gold, carbon materials, bismuth, and metal oxide‐based electrodes are reviewed. The environmentally friendly (“green”) characteristics, as well as their versatility and flexibility, are especially emphasized. In addition, synthesis methods and novel designs of electrode integration are highlighted. Most of the substantial achievements as well as breakthroughs in recent years are surveyed, and the challenges and prospective in this field are also identified.

An Assessment of Land Use and Land Cover Changes and Its Impact on the Surface Water Quality of the Crocodile River Catchment, South Africa

“…With this increased anthropogenic activity, considering the land use and landcover change, spanning from 1999 to 2018, with the concomitant rise in PTEs observed in the study area, as one of the African water bodies, the need for continuous environmental monitoring of the safety of the river water body has emerged, of great importance. Standard techniques for detection of the PTEs such as inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) [108], Uv-Vis spectrometry [109], atomic absorption/emission spectroscopy [110], laserinduced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) [111] and even the inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) employed in this study, are not generally suitable for in situ, fast, easy and low cost operations [112]. Gross setbacks like tedious sample preparation and pre-concentration, professionalism needed in personnel operation, and high cost of procuring and maintaining equipment have surrounded the use of such techniques.…”

“…An Assessment of Land Use and Land Cover Changes and Its Impact on the Surface Water… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95753 Hence, it is proposed that electrochemical monitoring technique could be a promising portable, low cost alternative with high selectivity and low detection limit [112]. Consequently, electrochemical sensors could be simply assembled into a compact system that is cheaper, simple to operate and possible for the desirable on-the-field application.…”

Integrated Nanostructural Electrodes Based on Layered Double Hydroxides

“…Strong adhesion to the current collector is required for commercial industrial energy devices, which is conducive for electrode materials to enhance surface reaction kinetics and against the corrosion, especially in high current density and long‐time operation . The interaction between components in the hierarchical structure could be enhanced when the second phase is in situ formation on the matrix.…”

Electrochemical Characterization and Detection of Lead in Water Using SPCE Modified with BiONPs/PANI

“…However, the detection of heavy metals is a complicated procedure, often involving widespread processes of preparation of sample leading to the measurement, when analytical techniques are employed [15]. Such standard techniques for the detection of heavy metal ions such as inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) [16][17][18], UV-Vis spectrometry, [19][20][21] atomic absorption/emission spectroscopy [22][23][24] and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) [25,26], would not be suitable for in situ, fast, easy and low-cost operation.…”