Ionic liquid-based materials for electrochemical sensor applications in environmental samples

Abstract

Ionic liquids (ILs) are important materials used in several fields due to their unique thermophysical, electrochemical, and green properties. While ILs are used alone in various sensor and biosensor applications, their use with nanostructures is becoming very popular in electrochemical sensors. The most significant applications of ILs are the stabilization of nanoparticles during the synthesis and forming of catalytically induced hybrid composite structures due to their wide potential window and great conductivity. Thanks to these unique features, ILs-based materials are used as modification materials in electrochemical sensors in order to acquire enhanced sensor performance and higher sensitivity. Analysis of environmental samples is not only very important due to the increasing environmental pollution and health risk issues but also tedious because of the complex media containing many compounds simultaneously. Therefore, modified electrochemical sensors are a very advantageous option to meet the need for sensors with high sensitivity, low limit of detection (LOD) values, low cost, and easy application for the analysis of environmental samples. This review study overviews the latest applications of ILs-based materials modified electrochemical sensors for determining environmental contaminants such as drug residues, pesticides, heavy metals, etc., in related samples covering the years between 2015 and 2022.