Innovative Nano-Sensor Simplifies Water Quality Checks by Detecting Two Pollutants Simultaneously

Identifying the Issue

• The presence of toxic ionic pollutants such as mercuric (Hg²⁺) and nitrite (NO₂⁻) ions in water sources pose significant environmental and health concerns.
• Although various nanomaterial-based electrochemical sensors have been developed for individual ion detection, dual-ion sensing platforms remain scarce.

Objective of the Research

• Develop an efficient dual-function electrochemical sensor for the simultaneous detection of Hg²⁺ and NO₂⁻ ions in water using a nanocomposite of graphene oxide and hydrogen titanate nanotubes.

Who should read this?

• Environmental scientists, researchers, and engineers – Developing advanced nanomaterial-based electrochemical sensing platforms for real-time detection of chemical water contaminants.
• Water treatment industries and policymakers – Implementing integrated sensing platforms for improved water quality monitoring and regulation.

Solution

A novel electrochemical sensor of graphene oxide-hydrogen titanate nanotubes nanocomposite for simultaneous detection of both mercuric (Hg²⁺) and nitrite (NO₂⁻) ions in aqueous systems.

Key Features and Benefits

• Time & Cost-efficient: Simultaneous detection of two pollutants in a single test reduces resources, analysis time, and
• Dual-Ion Sensing Capability: Measures both cationic (Hg²⁺) and anionic (NO₂⁻) contaminants, enhancing the scope of water quality assessment.
• Environmentally Relevant: Facilitates early detection of toxic contaminants, preventing ecological damage and human exposure risks.

Impact

• Enhances Water Safety: Accurately detects Hg²⁺ and NO₂⁻ at low concentrations, ensuring safe drinking.
• Improves Monitoring Efficiency: Enables simultaneous multi-ion detection, reducing testing time by over 50% compared to conventional single-ion analysis methods.

Team

1. Dasari Swarna 
2. Lokeswara Reddy S
3. Sushma Tripathi
4. Anjana Biswas
5. Ganesh V (Corresponding author)
6. Prathibha C (Corresponding author)

Title of paper: “A dual-target electrochemical sensor for simultaneous detection of mercuric and nitrite ions in water using a nanocomposite of graphene oxide and hydrogen titanate nanotubes”

Read Paper Here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2025.115488