Optical sensing of heavy metals using biomass derived nanomaterials: A mini review

Heavy metals pollution is a severe threat to the environment and public health. Some heavy metals such as cobalt, zinc, iron and copper are required by living organisms in minute quantities, but their presence in higher concentrations leads to toxic effects. Heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, arsenic, chromium and mercury are fatal even at trace concentrations. Therefore, the development of a sensitive platform for the detection of heavy metals in various point sources is of the utmost importance. Plant biomass derived nanomaterials have provided unique opportunity to invent eco-friendly, sustainable and highly sensitive and selective methods for the sensing of heavy metals. Here we have briefly described several plant biomass derived nanomaterials which have been successfully explored for the optical sensing abilities in the detection of toxic heavy metal ions.