Recent trends in macro-, micro-, and nanomaterial-based tools and strategies for heavy-metal detection

Some of the latest trends in macro-, micro-, and nanomaterial-based tools and strategies for heavy-metal detection are discussed. There is a continuing search to develop sensing strategies for trace heavy metal for the early detection of pollution in various chemical systems, including living systems and the whole environment. There are two important parts to be considered, such as the receptor and the immobilization or transducing platform. The chemical recognition of heavy-metal ions is the base for the techniques to enable a proper sensing through specific substances or species, called receptors of the detection system. Amino-based ligands have emerged as an attractive class of ligands due to their binding abilities through heavy-metal ions. A group of scientists has also synthesized N-alkylaminopyrazole-derived ligands (1-[2-(octylamino)ethyl]-3,5-diphenylpyrazole, molecule 3 and studied their reactivity toward different heavy metals.