Advances in electrochemical detection methods for measuring contaminants of emerging concerns

Abstract

The presence of contaminants of emerging concerns (CECs) such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products, endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), per/poly-fluorinated substances (PFAS), pesticides, and nanomaterials poses significant challenges to the environment and human health. This review discusses the current status of electrochemical sensing methods and their potential as low-cost analytical platforms for the detection and characterization of emerging contaminants. Recent developments in advanced materials and fabrication techniques such as electrophoretic deposition, layer-by-layer deposition, roll-to-roll and 3D printing techniques, and the scalable manufacturing of low-cost portable electrochemical devices are discussed. Examples of detection mechanisms, electrode modification procedures, device configuration, and their performance along with recent developments in fundamental electrochemistry, particularly nanoimpact methods, are provided to demonstrate the capabilities of these methods for the environmental monitoring of CECs. Finally, a critical discussion of future research needs, detection challenges, and opportunities is provided to demonstrate how electrochemistry can be used to advance field monitoring of these chemicals. These methods can be used as complementary or alternative methods to the currently used laboratory-based analytical instrumentation to facilitate large-scale studies and manage risks associated with the presence of CECs in the environment and other matrices.