Disposable electrochemical sensor for the detection of lead(II) ions in the natural water

The leaching of metal ions from the mines may result in pollution of the surrounding waters. In this work, we propose a composite material that combines porous carbon and graphene (G-C), which shows a very high sensitivity to lead ions. The lamellar structure of the composite material facilitates the rapid diffusion of lead ions on the surface of the material. Meanwhile, combined with the strong adsorption ability of the microporous carbon layer for heavy metal ions, the sensor has a high sensitivity towards electrochemical detection of lead ions in water. In addition, the proposed electrochemical sensor has been successfully applied for field detection.