Research Progress of Electrochemical Detection of Heavy Metal Ions

Heavy metal ions are extremely harmful to human health and ecosystems. The establishment of fast, convenient, accurate and sensitive detection techniques for heavy metal ion has important theoretical and application significance for protecting human health and maintaining ecosystem balance. The electrochemical analytical method has many advantages such as high sensitivity, fast analysis speed, simple equipment, and portability in detecting heavy metal ions. The appropriate modification of the working electrode is an effective way to improve the detection sensitivity. A variety of organic and inorganic materials have been widely used to modify the working electrode for this purpose with great progresses. This article reviews recent progresses on electrochemical detection of heavy metal ions, focusing on the influence of the electrode modification of material (inorganic materials, organic materials and biological materials) on the ion detection range and sensitivity. The advantages, limitations and prospects of various modified materials are also briefly described.