Heavy metal species are toxic, non-decomposable
molecules which exist in our ecological systems and
food chains, eventually exposing us to serious health hazards
and economic damage. In this context, various attempts
have been made for sensitive detection of heavy
metal ions through electrochemical sensor. Carbon nanomaterials
endowed with unique physiochemical properties
were found to be most suitable for electrochemical detection
of heavy metal due to their ease to modify, high sensitivity,
good selectivity and high reproducibility. Here,
we present a critical review about detection of heavy
metals using nanocarbon with focus on graphene and
carbon nanotubes in various sources of water, soil, and
foods for fast and sensitive detection of heavy metal ions.
We have evaluated the current trends and discussed the
major challenges associated with electrode modification
and electrochemical analysis with the aim to achieve the
best sensing performance.
