From toxic to traceable: Advances in ion-selective electrode detection of heavy metals for food safety

Author's Department

Chemistry Department

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2025.108489

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Nada M. Ali Salma Abdelrahman Aly Reda Norhan Badr Eldin Mohamed K. Abd El-Rahman Tamer Shoeib

Document Type

Research Article

Publication Title

Journal of Food Composition and Analysis

Publication Date

12-1-2025

doi

10.1016/j.jfca.2025.108489

Abstract

Heavy metal and metalloid contamination in food is a critical public health concern. Ion selective electrode sensors have become valuable due to their precision and ease of use. This review explores their operational principles, design advancements, and use in food safety. Recent studies using these sensors to detect and quantify key contaminants, including aluminum, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, cobalt, cadmium, selenium, tin, zinc, and arsenic, in various food matrices is provided. Highlights of the performance of these sensors, typically achieving detection limits in the nanomolar to micromolar range with response times of a few minutes are presented. A discussion of their current limitations, such as potential interferences, signal drift, slow response times at low analyte levels, and membrane fouling from food components, often necessitating extensive sample pre-treatment, is also included. The selection of metals for this review is based on their prevalence as food contaminants and the availability of extensive research on their ion selective electrode detection. The practical application of such sensors in food safety and offers insights into future research directions to further improve their performance by integrating nanomaterials, molecularly imprinted polymers, and 3D-printed miniaturized sensors for low-cost customization and embedding potentiometric sensors directly into intelligent food packaging.

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