Abstract
Electrochemical sensors appear as low-cost, rapid, easy to use, and in situ devices for determination of diverse analytes in a liquid solution. In that context, conducting polymers are much-explored sensor building materials because of their semiconductivity, structural versatility, multiple synthetic pathways, and stability in environmental conditions. In this state-of-the-art review, synthetic processes, morphological characterization, and nanostructure formation are analyzed for relevant literature about electrochemical sensors based on conducting polymers for the determination of molecules that (i) have a fundamental role in the human body function regulation, and (ii) are considered as water emergent pollutants. Special focus is put on the different types of micro- and nanostructures generated for the polymer itself or the combination with different materials in a composite, and how the rough morphology of the conducting polymers based electrochemical sensors affect their limit of detection. Polypyrroles, polyanilines, and polythiophenes appear as the most recurrent conducting polymers for the construction of electrochemical sensors. These conducting polymers are usually built starting from bifunctional precursor monomers resulting in linear and branched polymer structures; however, opportunities for sensitivity enhancement in electrochemical sensors have been recently reported by using conjugated microporous polymers synthesized from multifunctional monomers.
Highlights
Neurotransmitters are molecules responsible to transmit neurological signals and permit the intercellular communication between neuron cells [1,2]
Uric acid (UA) appears as a important biomarker because it is a final product of purine metabolism and it is accumulated in the human body due to its low aqueous solubility, while glucose concentration is an important marker of human health, especially for symptoms associated with diabetes
Hydrogen peroxide was sensed by a ternary nanocomposite of PEDOT:PSS, reduced graphene oxide and gold nanoparticles assembled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) on a screen-printed gold electrode (HRP/AuNPs/rGO/PEDOT:PSS/SPGE) [196]
Summary
Neurotransmitters are molecules responsible to transmit neurological signals and permit the intercellular communication between neuron cells [1,2]. Emerging contaminants are chemicals with potential negative health effects associated with human exposure [8] These compounds are widely released into aquatic ecosystems from agricultural, paints, textile, plastic, pharmaceutical, petroleum, and other industries [9]. Nitroaromatics compounds are the major components of explosives whose residues can accumulate in the environment [23] Methods such as gas chromatography, mass spectrometry [24], and high-performance liquid chromatography [25] have been used for biomarkers and emerging pollutants determination, but they are expensive, time-consuming, and require well-skilled operators and pretreated samples [26]. An extensive stateof-the-art review is reported focusing on CPs based electrochemical sensors for detection into liquid solutions of (i) molecules with a function regulation in the human body such as dopamine, epinephrine, serotonin, uric acid, ascorbic acid, glucose, and hydrogen peroxide, and (ii) water emergent pollutants such as phenolic compounds, hydrazine, nitrites, pharmaceuticals, and nitroaromatic compounds. Some important remarks and perspectives are presented for this technique as well as summary tables of the performance for the different electrochemical sensors revised
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
