Electrochemical detection of chemical pollutants based on gold nanomaterials

The design of advanced electrochemical sensors and biosensors is of significant importance due to the growing of environmental pollution through the increasing globalization and unregulated discharged compounds from industry, human, animal and nature. The state-of-the-art gold (Au) nanomaterials based electrode materials enable the major advances on sensor research and industries for environmental monitoring applications, featuring the rapid and stable response, high sensitivity and selectivity, and ease of miniaturization. The utilization and prospects of Au nanomaterials such as Au nanoparticles, Au nanoclusters, nanoporous Au and their nanocomposites on the design of electrochemical sensors for the detection of chemical pollutants are the key focus of the present review. The unique physicochemical and electrocatalytic possessions of Au nanomaterials may empower the development of advanced sensor systems for the detection and determination of emerging pollutants, which have unlocked up the opportunity of fashioning novel technologies based on nanoscience and electrochemistry for the real-time monitoring. Gold nanomaterials based electrochemical sensor systems have a strong potential for environmental monitoring through enhanced and stable analytical capabilities.