Electrochemical detection and characterization of nanoparticles: A potential tool for environmental purposes

The incorporation of engineered nanoparticles in commercial products and industrial processes has broadly increased in recent years, which raises concerns about their environmental impact. In this review, we present electrochemistry as a promising analytical tool towards the detection and characterization of nanoparticles for environmental purposes. Recent research has not only demonstrated the applicability of electrochemical methods for the quantification of nanoparticles in environmental samples, but also for the study of properties and transformations of nanoparticles. All these aspects are very relevant to understand their toxicity in the environment. In this context, we discuss several electrochemical methods to quantify and study the size and shape, surface properties, interparticle interactions, chemical reactivity and speciation of nanoparticles.