Recent Advances on Electrochemical Sensors for Detection and Analysis of Heavy Metals

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Since the beginning of modern civilization, heavy metals have been used invarious industrial, domestic, technological, medical applications, etc. Often, if not allthe time, the uncontrolled release of sewage to the water resources and emission fromthe industrial plants in the environment raises alarms over their potential impacts onhuman health and the environment. These metallic elements, being potentially toxic,are known to cause multiple organ impairment, even at extremely low exposure limits.Thus, it is highly imperative to develop simple and sensitive methods for theirdetection. Electrochemical techniques are one of the most promising methods for heavymetal sensing because of their short analytical time, easy accessibility, and highsensitivity for in-situ measurements. In this chapter, we discuss heavy metals and theirpotential adverse effects on human health and the environment, strategies for the designof materials for sensing the heavy metals/ions and their mechanisms, and the recentdevelopments of electrochemical sensors in heavy metal detection. The chapter putsmore emphasis on materials than methods.