Electrochemical sensors modified with ion-imprinted polymers for metal ion detection

Quantification of trace levels of metal ions is an important issue in terms of health and environment safety. Ion-imprinted polymers (IIPs) are synthetic materials that present excellent selectivity properties. Therefore, when combined with electrochemical sensors, proven to be low-cost and time-efficient, they can act as remarkably selective receptors. The development of these type of electrochemical sensors has seen an increase in attention in the past decade. The aim of this review is to give the current state of the art in the conception and performances of IIP-based electrochemical sensors (IIPECS). It is illustrated by many examples of applications that prove the high potential of IIPECS to quantify metal ions in a wide range of real samples with high sensitivity and selectivity.