Hydrogels of polyaniline with graphene oxide for highly sensitive electrochemical determination of lead ions

Sensing lead ions in water: a comprehensive review on strategies and sensor materials

It is well-known fact that elevated lead ions (Pb2+), the third most toxic among heavy metal ions in aqueous systems, pose a threat to human health and aquatic ecosystems when they exceed permissible limits. Pb2+ is commonly found in industrial waste and fertilizers, contaminating water sources and subsequently entering the human body, causing various adverse health conditions. Unlike being expelled, Pb2+ accumulates within the body, posing potential health risks. The harmful impact of presence of Pb2+ in water have prompted researchers to diligently work toward maintaining water quality. Recognizing the importance of Pb2+, this review article makes a sincere and effective effort to address the issues associated with Pb2+. This overview article gives insights into various sensing approaches to detect Pb2+ in water using different sensing materials, including 2-dimensional materials, thiols, quantum dots, and polymers. Herein, different sensing approaches such as electrochemical, optical, field effect transistor-based, micro-electromechanical system-based, and chemi resistive are thoroughly explained. Field effect transistor-based and chemiresistive work on similar principles and are compared on the basis of their fabrication processes and sensing capabilities. In conclusion, future directions for chemiresistive sensors in Pb2+ detection are proposed, emphasizing their simplicity, portability, straightforward functionality, and ease of fabrication. Notably, it sheds light on various thiol and ligand compounds and coupling strategies utilized in Pb2+ detection. This comprehensive study is expected to benefit individuals engaged in Pb2+ detection.

Label free electrochemical sensors for Pb(II) detection based on hemicellulose extracted from Opuntia Ficus Indica cactus

We aim to develop an electrochemical sensor for a divalent metal ion (lead II), a highly toxic water contaminant. We explore a sensor formed with a hemicellulose polysaccharide extracted from the Opuntia Ficus Indica cactus associated with agarose as a sensitive layer deposited on a gold electrode. This sensor combines the functional groups of hemicellulose that could form a complex with metal ions and agarose with gelling properties to form a stable membrane. The sensor demonstrated a loading ability of Pb2+, with higher affinity compared to other metal ions such as Hg2+, Ni2+, and Cu2+, thanks to the chemical structure of hemicellulose. The detection was measured by square wave voltammetry based on a well-defined redox peak of the metal ions. The sensor shows high sensitivity towards Pb2+ with a detection limit of 1.3 fM. The application in river and sea water using the standard addition method for lead detection was studied.

Selective determination of cadmium and lead ions in different food samples by poly (riboflavin)/carbon black-modified glassy carbon electrode

In this research, a poly (riboflavin)/carbon black-modified glassy carbon electrode (PRF/CB/GCE) is introduced as a novel electrochemical sensor toward Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺ simultaneous measurement in presence of bismuth ions, applying differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV). Regarding the optimized conditions, the linear ranges were achieved from 0.5 to 600 nM for Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺. The detection limit (LOD) was found to be 0.16 nM for Cd²⁺ and 0.13 nM for Pb²⁺. In order to perform the technique in real application, the proposed electrode was used to simultaneously detect ions in rice, honey, and vegetable samples with satisfactory recoveries - indicating that the sensor possesses good practicability to determine Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺. Moreover, an atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) was used in order to detect the concentration of ions as a reference technique in rice, honey, and vegetable samples.

Impedimetric Polyaniline-Based Aptasensor for Aflatoxin B1 Determination in Agricultural Products

An impedimetric aptasensor based on a polyaniline (PAni) support matrix is developed through the surface modification of a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPE) for aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) detection in foodstuffs and feedstuffs for food safety. The PAni is synthesized with the chemical oxidation method and characterized with potentiostat/galvanostat, FTIR, and UV-vis spectroscopy techniques. The stepwise fabrication procedure of the PAni-based aptasensor is characterized by means of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) methods. The impedimetric aptasensor is optimized using the EIS technique, and its feasibility of detecting AFB₁ in real sample matrices is evaluated via a recovery study in spiked foodstuffs and feedstuffs, such as pistachio nuts, cinnamons, cloves, corn, and soybeans, with a good recovery percentage, ranging from 87.9% to 94.7%. The charge transfer resistance (R_CT) at the aptasensor interface increases linearly with the AFB₁ concentration in the range of 3 × 10^-2 nM to 8 × 10^-2 nM, with a regression coefficient (R²) value of 0.9991 and detection limit of 0.01 nM. The proposed aptasensor is highly selective towards AFB₁ and partially selective to AFB₂ and ochratoxin A (OTA) due to their similar structures that differ only at the carbon-carbon double bond located at C₈ and C₉ and the large molecule size of OTA.

N. NK, Budagumpi S, Kumar Bose S, P. S, Palakollu VN. Tuning the Surface Functionality of Fe3O4 for Sensitive and Selective Detection of Heavy Metal Ions

The functionalization of materials for ultrasensitive detection of heavy metal ions (HMIs) in the environment is crucial. Herewith, we have functionalized inexpensive and environmentally friendly Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles with D-valine (Fe₃O₄-D-Val) by a simple co-precipitation synthetic approach characterized by XRD, FE-SEM, and FTIR spectroscopy. The Fe₃O₄-D-Val sensor was used for the ultrasensitive detection of Cd⁺², Pb⁺², and Cu⁺² in water samples. This sensor shows a very low detection limit of 11.29, 4.59, and 20.07 nM for Cd⁺², Pb⁺², and Cu⁺², respectively. The detection limits are much lower than the values suggested by the world health Organization. The real water samples were also analyzed using the developed sensor.

PCF based modal interferometer for lead ion detection

A compact, reliable, and fast responsive PCF (photonic crystal fiber) based modal interferometric sensor for lead ion detection is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The sensor has been fabricated by splicing a small section of PCF with SMF (single mode fiber) followed by collapsing the air holes of PCF at its tip. The interferometer is dip coated with chitosan-PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) and glutathione functionalized gold nanoparticles. Three probes have been fabricated, and the maximum sensitivity has been found to be 0.031 nm/ppb for lead ions whereas the detection range has been considered from 0 ppb to 50 ppb. The probe has been found to have a faster response time of ∼ 10 s. Furthermore, the sensor has been found to be less responsive towards other heavy metal ions, thereby demonstrating its selectivity towards lead ions. Besides, a section of FBG (fiber Bragg grating) has been embedded into the interferometer and the temperature response of FBG peak along with interference spectra has been investigated for better accuracy.

A high performance Pb(II) electrochemical sensor based on spherical CuS nanoparticle anchored g-C3N4

A new electrochemical sensor has been constructed for ultra-sensitive detection of lead ions (Pb²⁺) by square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV), based on the copper sulfide/graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode (CuS/g-C₃N₄/GCE). First, spherical CuS nanoparticles with good electrical conductivity were anchored on layered g-C₃N₄ with high coordination activity, affording an excellent electrode modifier CuS/g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite. Then, the performance of the CuS/g-C₃N₄/GCE and its electrochemical response to Pb²⁺ were thoroughly studied, and the sensing mechanism was investigated. On the one hand, the CuS/g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite has greatly improved the electron transportation and electrode performance through functional complementarity - CuS endows g-C₃N₄ with a good electrical conductivity and a large active specific surface area, while g-C₃N₄ endows CuS with high dispersibility and strong adsorption. On the other hand, the CuS/g-C₃N₄ modifier has effectively promoted the deposition of trace Pb²⁺ from the solution onto the electrode surface by means of synergistic enrichment (crucial for amplification of detection signals) - g-C₃N₄ can coordinate with Pb²⁺ by its large number of conjugated triazine heterocyclic rings in its molecular framework, while CuS can adsorb Pb²⁺ due to its inherent size effect of nanomaterials. The proposed sensor can efficiently detect Pb²⁺ in the concentration range of 0.050-5.000 μM with a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 4.00 nM, and can be well applied for the detection of trace Pb²⁺ in actual tea samples.

Conductive Hydrogel-Based Electrochemical Sensor: A Soft Platform for Capturing Analyte

Electrode modifications for electrochemical sensors attract a lot of attention every year. Among them, hydrogels are a relatively special class of electrode modifier. Since hydrogels often contain polymers, even though they are conductive polymers, they are not ideal electrode modifiers because of their poor conductivity. However, the micro-aqueous environment and the three-dimensional structure of hydrogels are an excellent platform for immobilizing bioactive molecules and maintaining their activity. This gives the hydrogel-modified electrochemical sensor the potential to perform specific recognition. At the same time, the rapid development of nanomaterials also makes the composite hydrogel have good electrical conductivity. This has led many scientists to become interested in hydrogel-based electrochemical sensors. In this review, we summarize the development process of hydrogel-based electrochemical sensors, starting from 2000. Hydrogel-based electrochemical sensors were initially used only as a carrier for biomolecules, mostly for loading enzymes and for specific recognition. With the widespread use of noble metal nanoparticles and carbon materials, hydrogels can now be used to prepare enzyme-free sensors. Although there are some sporadic studies on the use of hydrogels for practical applications, the vast majority of reports are still limited to the detection of common model molecules, such as glucose and H2O2. In the review, we classify hydrogels according to their different conducting strategies, and present the current status of the application of different hydrogels in electrochemical sensors. We also summarize the advantages and shortcomings of hydrogel-based electrochemical sensors. In addition, future prospects regarding hydrogel for electrochemical sensor use have been provided at the end.

Conducting polymer hydrogels as a sustainable platform for advanced energy, biomedical and environmental applications

Environmentally friendly polymeric materials and derivative technologies play increasingly important roles in the sustainable development of our modern society. Conducting polymer hydrogels (CPHs) synergizing the advantageous characteristics of conventional hydrogels and conducting polymers are promising to satisfy the requirements of environmental sustainability. Beyond their use in energy and biomedical applications that require exceptional mechanical and electrical properties, CPHs are emerging as promising contaminant adsorbents owing to their porous network structure and regulable functional groups. Here, we review the currently available strategies for synthesizing CPHs, focusing primarily on multifunctional applications in energy storage/conversion, biomedical engineering and environmental remediation, and discuss future perspectives and challenges for CPHs in terms of their synthesis and applications. It is envisioned to stimulate new thinking and innovation in the development of next-generation sustainable materials.

Graphene Integrated Hydrogels Based Biomaterials in Photothermal Biomedicine

Recently, photothermal therapy (PTT) has emerged as one of the most promising biomedical strategies for different areas in the biomedical field owing to its superior advantages, such as being noninvasive, target-specific and having fewer side effects. Graphene-based hydrogels (GGels), which have excellent mechanical and optical properties, high light-to-heat conversion efficiency and good biocompatibility, have been intensively exploited as potential photothermal conversion materials. This comprehensive review summarizes the current development of graphene-integrated hydrogel composites and their application in photothermal biomedicine. The latest advances in the synthesis strategies, unique properties and potential applications of photothermal-responsive GGel nanocomposites in biomedical fields are introduced in detail. This review aims to provide a better understanding of the current progress in GGel material fabrication, photothermal properties and potential PTT-based biomedical applications, thereby aiding in more research efforts to facilitate the further advancement of photothermal biomedicine.

A phenanthrene[9,10-d]imidazole-phenol-based fluorescent probe combining ESIPT and AIE for the “turn-on” detection of Cu2+ with green-emission and improved Stokes’ shift, and its application

The “turn-on” probe PIA(OH)-Py responds to Cu2+ in living cells and can determine the concentration of Cu2+ in blood samples.

Facile preparation of novel Pd nanowire networks on a polyaniline hydrogel for sensitive determination of glucose

In this study, novel Pd nanowire networks (PdNW) grown on three-dimensional polyaniline hydrogel (3D-PANI) were prepared via a facile one-step electrodeposition approach at a constant potential of - 0.2 V and further utilized as an electrochemical sensing material for sensitive determination of glucose in alkaline medium. Compared with the sensor based on Pd nanofilm (PdNF)/3D-PANI prepared by electrodeposition at - 0.9 V, the sensor based on PdNW/3D-PANI presented substantially enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards glucose oxidation, with an excellent sensitivity of 146.6 μA mM^-1 cm^-2, a linear range from 5.0 to 9800 μM, and a low detection limit of 0.7 μM and was, therefore, demonstrated to be available for the determination of glucose in human serum. These findings are likely attributed to the combination of advantages of both PdNW and 3D-PANI, which outperformed most other Pd-based non-enzymatic glucose sensors reported earlier. Moreover, this non-enzymatic electrochemical sensor based on PdNW/3D-PANI may serve as an alternative tool for the assay of glucose and possibly other biomolecules. Graphical abstract.

Development of highly efficient chemosensors for Cu2+ and N2H4 detection based on 2D polyaniline derivatives by template-free chemical polymerization method

Chemosensors play an important role in environmental protection, medical diagnosis and energy conservation. Although polyaniline and its derivatives and two-dimensional (2D) materials have been applied as chemosensors in many reports, the concept of two-dimensional (2D) polyaniline derivatives has not been achieved in chemosensors. Here, two kinds of two-dimensional (2D) polyaniline derivatives are designed and synthesized by template-free chemical polymerization. It can be found that these two two-dimensional (2D) chemosensors exhibit high selectivity and sensitivity to Cu²⁺ and N₂H₄. Moreover, it is noteworthy that one of the two-dimensional materials can achieve the limit of detection (LOD) of 45 nM and 8 nM for Cu²⁺ and N₂H₄, respectively. Especially, these results imply that this two-dimensional polyaniline derivative is promising as the chemosensor in sensing field.

Syntheses, crystal structures, dye degradation and luminescence sensing properties of four coordination polymers

Four coordination polymers based on the pyridyl-carboxyl ligand have been solvothermally synthesized and characterized. The heterogeneous catalytic oxidation activities of 1–3 and luminescence titration experiments for 4 have been studied.

Nanocellulose-Based Conductive Membranes for Free-Standing Supercapacitors: A Review

There is currently strong demand for the development of advanced energy storage devices with inexpensive, flexibility, lightweight, and eco-friendly materials. Cellulose is considered as a suitable material that has the potential to meet the requirements of the advanced energy storage devices. Specifically, nanocellulose has been shown to be an environmentally friendly material that has low density and high specific strength, Young's modulus, and surface-to-volume ratio compared to synthetic materials. Furthermore, it can be isolated from a variety of plants through several simple and rapid methods. Cellulose-based conductive composite membranes can be assembled into supercapacitors to achieve free-standing, lightweight, and flexible energy storage devices. Therefore, they have attracted extensive research interest for the development of small-size wearable devices, implantable sensors, and smart skin. Various conductive materials can be loaded onto nanocellulose substrates to endow or enhance the electrochemical performance of supercapacitors by taking advantage of the high loading capacity of nanocellulose membranes for brittle conductive materials. Several factors can impact the electronic performance of a nanocellulose-based supercapacitor, such as the methods of loading conductive materials and the types of conductive materials, as will be discussed in this review.

The Effect of Hexamethylene Diisocyanate-Modified Graphene Oxide as a Nanofiller Material on the Properties of Conductive Polyaniline

Conducting polymers like polyaniline (PANI) have gained a lot of interest due to their outstanding electrical and optoelectronic properties combined with their low cost and easy synthesis. To further exploit the performance of PANI, carbon-based nanomaterials like graphene, graphene oxide (GO) and their derivatives can be incorporated in a PANI matrix. In this study, hexamethylene diisocyanate-modified GO (HDI-GO) nanosheets with two different functionalization degrees have been used as nanofillers to develop high-performance PANI/HDI-GO nanocomposites via in situ polymerization of aniline in the presence of HDI-GO followed by ultrasonication and solution casting. The influence of the HDI-GO concentration and functionalization degree on the nanocomposite properties has been examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), tensile tests, zeta potential and four-point probe measurements. SEM analysis demonstrated a homogenous dispersion of the HDI-GO nanosheets that were coated by the matrix particles during the in situ polymerization. Raman spectra revealed the existence of very strong PANI-HDI-GO interactions via π-π stacking, H-bonding, and hydrophobic and electrostatic charge-transfer complexes. A steady enhancement in thermal stability and electrical conductivity was found with increasing nanofiller concentration, the improvements being higher with increasing HDI-GO functionalization level. The nanocomposites showed a very good combination of rigidity, strength, ductility and toughness, and the best equilibrium of properties was attained at 5 wt % HDI-GO. The method developed herein opens up a versatile route to prepare multifunctional graphene-based nanocomposites with conductive polymers for a broad range of applications including flexible electronics and organic solar cells.

Epitaxial Graphene Sensors Combined with 3D-Printed Microfluidic Chip for Heavy Metals Detection

In this work, we investigated the sensing performance of epitaxial graphene on Si-face 4H-SiC (EG/SiC) for liquid-phase detection of heavy metals (e.g., Pb and Cd), showing fast and stable response and low detection limit. The sensing platform proposed includes 3D-printed microfluidic devices, which incorporate all features required to connect and execute lab-on-chip (LOC) functions. The obtained results indicate that EG exhibits excellent sensing activity towards Pb and Cd ions. Several concentrations of Pb²⁺ solutions, ranging from 125 nM to 500 µM, were analyzed showing Langmuir correlation between signal and Pb²⁺ concentrations, good stability, and reproducibility over time. Upon the simultaneous presence of both metals, sensor response is dominated by Pb²⁺ rather than Cd²⁺ ions. To explain the sensing mechanisms and difference in adsorption behavior of Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺ ions on EG in water-based solutions, we performed van-der-Waals (vdW)-corrected density functional theory (DFT) calculations and non-covalent interaction (NCI) analysis, extended charge decomposition analysis (ECDA), and topological analysis. We demonstrated that Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺ ions act as electron-acceptors, enhancing hole conductivity of EG, due to charge transfer from graphene to metal ions, and Pb²⁺ ions have preferential ability to binding with graphene over cadmium. Electrochemical measurements confirmed the conductometric results, which additionally indicate that EG is more sensitive to lead than to cadmium.

Graphene-derived nanomaterials as recognition elements for electrochemical determination of heavy metal ions: a review

This review (with 155 refs.) summarizes the progress made in the past few years in the field of electrochemical sensors based on graphene-derived materials for the determination of heavy metal ions. Following an introduction of this field and a discussion of the various kinds of modified graphenes including graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide, the review covers graphene based electrodes modified (or doped) with (a) heteroatoms, (b) metal nanoparticles, (c) metal oxides, (d) small organic molecules, (e) polymers, and (f) ternary nanocomposites. Tables are provided that afford an overview of representative methods and materials for fabricating electrochemical sensors. Furthermore, sensing mechanisms are discussed. A concluding section presents new perspectives, opportunities and current challenges. Graphical Abstract Schematic illustration of electrochemical sensor for heavy metal ion sensing based on heteroatom-doped graphene, metal-modified graphene, metal-oxide-modified graphene, organically modified graphene, polymer-modified graphene, and ternary graphene based nanocomposites.

Understanding Graphene Response to Neutral and Charged Lead Species: Theory and Experiment

Deep understanding of binding of toxic Lead (Pb) species on the surface of two-dimensional materials is a required prerequisite for the development of next-generation sensors that can provide fast and real-time detection of critically low concentrations. Here we report atomistic insights into the Lead behavior on epitaxial graphene (Gr) on silicon carbide substrates by thorough complementary study of voltammetry, electrical characterization, Raman spectroscopy, and Density Functional Theory (DFT). It is verified that the epitaxial graphene exhibits quasi-reversible anode reactions in aqueous solutions, providing a well-defined redox peak for Pb species and good linearity over a concentration range from 1 nM to 1 µM. The conductometric approach offers another way to investigate Lead adsorption, which is based on the formations of stable charge-transfer complexes affecting the p-type conductivity of epitaxial graphene. Our results suggest the adsorption ability of the epitaxial graphene towards divalent Lead ions is concentration-dependent and tends to saturate at higher concentrations. To elucidate the mechanisms responsible for Pb adsorption, we performed DFT calculations and estimated the solvent-mediated interaction between Lead species in different oxidative forms and graphene. Our results provide central information regarding the energetics and structure of Pb-graphene interacting complexes that underlay the adsorption mechanisms of neutral and divalent Lead species. Such a holistic understanding favors design and synthesis of new sensitive materials for water quality monitoring.

A label-free and ultrasensitive electrochemical aptasensor for lead(ii) using a N,P dual-doped carbon dot-chitosan composite as a signal-enhancing platform and thionine as a signaling molecule

Herein, a label-free and ultrasensitive electrochemical aptasensor for the determination of lead(ii) (Pb2+) was described. It was based on the application of a N,P dual-doped carbon dot-chitosan (N,P-CD-CS) composite as the signal molecule carrier and an aptamer (APT) as the specific binding probe for Pb2+ that were self-assembled on the surface of a gold electrode (GE). 6-Mercapto-1-hexanol (MCH) was used to block the nonspecific binding sites, and the electro-active molecule thionine (THi) was used as the signaling probe. The differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) response of THi at a rather low working potential of -0.17 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) was used to detect Pb2+. The electrochemical performances of the resulting modified electrode were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Under optimal experimental conditions, the modified electrode exhibited excellent DPV response depending on the concentration of Pb2+ in the 0.01 nM to 10 nM range. The limit of detection was 3.8 pM (at S/N = 3). The modified electrode displayed good reproducibility and excellent stability. It was successfully applied for the determination of Pb2+ in real water samples.