Breakthroughs in nanostructured-based chemical sensors for the detection of toxic metals

Abstract

Globally, trace metals toxicity in wastewater poses health problems for humans even at truncated concentrations and warrants investigation. This review study focuses on the suitable cutting-edge advancements in nanotechnology-based electrochemical sensor technology for the apprehension of selected toxic metal ions such as arsenic(As), cadmium(Cd), chromium(Cr), lead(Pb), and uranium(Ur)) in wastewater samples. The discussion includes an examination of synthesis techniques for sensors based on Nanomaterials (NMs). Moreover, these electrochemical sensors are scrutinized to study the complex principles that describe their problem solving achievement, such as susceptibility, determination limit, duplicability, repeatability, and selectivity in wastewater matrices for trace metal detection. Most importantly, the discussion also considers the interactions between NMs, electrochemistry, and sensing mechanisms, providing a comprehensive view of the cooperative developments promoting improved advanced sensor technology. This review critically investigates the existing literature to assess and capture the progress landscape of nano-based electrochemical sensors. Ultimately, this review paper could significantly play a role towards the use of these attractive nano-based electrode materials in revamping paradigms for environmental monitoring and advancing precision in trace metal sensing in wastewater.