Portable Voltammetric Lead Sensor (Electronic Tongue) for Drinking Water Monitoring

Overview

Bozkurt et al. (2025) describe a portable electrochemical sensor (marketed concept as “electronic tongue”) for Pb2+ detection in drinking water, designed for field or point-of-use deployment. The device uses voltammetric (stripping) detection optimized for portability.

Key numbers

LOD: 1.6 ppb (1.6 µg/L) for Pb2+ in drinking water. This is below the US EPA action level (15 µg/L) and approaching the EU parametric value for lead in drinking water (5 µg/L since 2021). An LOD of 1.6 ppb provides meaningful sensitivity for detecting lead in drinking water at levels of public health concern.

Validated in: drinking water. Portable form factor is the key feature differentiating this from laboratory stripping voltammetry instruments.

Methods (brief)

Anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) or differential pulse stripping voltammetry (DPSV). Miniaturized, portable potentiostat. Drinking water matrix. The 1.6 ppb LOD is comparable to some portable ICP-MS or field-portable XRF analyzers.

Implications

Testing: A portable lead (Pb) sensor with 1.6 ppb LOD in drinking water is practically relevant for field screening — for example, at school water fountains, municipal point-of-use testing, or kiosk water quality monitoring (see also Zuhlke2026, this batch). Not validated for food matrices but relevant as a drinking water screening tool.

Related evidence

• testing/lead-methods

Update history

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