Electroanalytical Techniques in Environmental and Biomedical Applications

Electroanalytical techniques harness electrochemical principles to quantify chemical and biological species with high sensitivity and selectivity. Central methods include voltammetry, which monitors current response to variable potentials, and amperometry, which measures steady‐state currents at fixed potentials. Advances in electrode materials—such as nanostructured carbon, metal oxides and two‐dimensional chalcogenide hybrids—have enhanced surface area, electron-transfer kinetics and molecular recognition. These improvements underpin detection of environmental contaminants, from pesticides and nitroaromatic compounds to heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants, at sub-micromolar levels in water and soil. In biomedical settings, electroanalytical assays facilitate rapid point-of-care diagnostics, enabling detection of biomolecules, pharmaceuticals and disease markers in complex fluids. Integration with miniaturised platforms, microfluidics and wireless read-outs supports decentralised monitoring and real-time analysis. Challenges remain in electrode fouling, matrix interference and reproducibility, driving research into disposable sensors, surface modifications and automated regeneration protocols. Overall, the synergy between novel electrode architectures and refined electrochemical methodologies is broadening the scope of environmental surveillance and clinical diagnostics, with global implications for public health and ecosystem management.

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Electroanalytical Techniques in Environmental and Biomedical Applications publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in electroanalytical techniques in environmental and biomedical applications across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Voltammetry: Electroanalytical method measuring current as a function of applied potential, used to characterise redox properties and quantify analytes.
Amperometry: Technique recording current at a constant potential, often for continuous monitoring of electroactive species.
Limit of Detection (LOD): Lowest concentration of an analyte that produces a measurable signal above background noise.
Screen-Printed Electrode (SPE): Disposable electrode fabricated by printing conductive inks on substrates, enabling low-cost, portable sensing.
Square Wave Voltammetry (SWV): Pulse voltammetric technique that applies a square-wave modulation to a staircase potential, enhancing sensitivity and selectivity.

References

1. Synergistic Effect of 3D/2D Vanadium Diselenide/Tungsten Diselenide Hybrid Materials: Electrochemical Detection of 5‑Nitroquinoline a Hazard to the Aquatic Environment. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces (2024).
2. New Approaches in Electroanalytical Determination of Triazines-Based Pesticides in Natural Waters. Analytica—A Journal of Analytical Chemistry and Chemical Analysis (2023).
3. A new strategy for the determination of dinobuton fungicide by square wave stripping voltammetry on the multi-walled carbon nanotube electrode. Materials Research Express (2024).