materials is extremely important when it comes to sensor fabrication and detection
of water pollutants. The choice is extremely varied due to the advancement in the
material synthesis techniques though it is often dependent on the type of contaminant whose presence needs to be ascertained. Amongst the available alternatives,
nanomaterials, owing to their high surface to volume ratio, are one of the most
viable candidate for sensor fabrication [18, 19]. Due to large number of exposed
surface atoms, the sensitivity of nanomaterials is far superior than other materials.
Despite these advantages, most nanomaterials have a drawback of not being easily
addressable as far as device fabrication is concerned. Nanofiber, as a sensor
material, have the advantage that they can be easily manipulated and fabricated in
the form of sensors [20–22]. In addition, the use of these sensors is also inexpensive
(cost-effective) because they are prepared with conventional microelectronics
manufacturing equipment and mostly non expensive instrumentation is required for
its fabrication.
Herein, we review the role of the nanofiber as a sensor material for water
pollutant monitoring and contaminant detection. Nanofibers of various shapes, size,
and compositions often exhibit unique and exquisite physico-chemical, optical,
catalytic and electronic properties, which are immensely useful for sensor research.
A brief introduction on the synthesis of nanofibers is presented followed by the
recent developments in the application of nanofiber as a sensor material. Though
the list of contaminants as well as materials for their detection is large, the present
chapter reviews the application of nanofibers for the detection of following categories of pollutants: (1) Heavy metals, (2) Organic compounds, and (3) biological
contaminants. These Nanofiber-based sensing techniques have great impact in the
field of environmental monitoring water pollution detection.
2 Nanofiber: An Appropriate Sensing Material
The role of materials in fabrication of sensors is extremely important.
Nanomaterials, as mentioned above, are a material of choice for most sensing
applications [4]. Nanofibers are 1-D nanostructures, which implies that their two
dimensions are in the Nano range (<100 nm) while the third dimension is in the
micro/macro range [23, 24]. This provides a unique benefit as compared to their
other counterparts in the family of nanomaterials. We all know that it is much easier
to control and manipulate micro/macro materials as compared to nanomaterials thus
leading to ease in the device fabrication and material integration. Since nanofibers
have one dimension in the micro/macro range, it is easier to control them and
fabricate sensors using them. They are also an excellent tool for water remediation
from different type of industrial and biological pollutants [25].
In the field of environmental monitoring, nanofiber-based sensors offer great
potentials in trace contaminants detection due to their large surface area, high
surface reactivity and catalytic efficiency, strong adsorption characteristics, readily
functionalized, and can be easily fabricated in the form of a nanosensor or
Nanofiber Based Sensors for Water Pollution Monitoring
301
of water pollutants. The choice is extremely varied due to the advancement in the
material synthesis techniques though it is often dependent on the type of contaminant whose presence needs to be ascertained. Amongst the available alternatives,
nanomaterials, owing to their high surface to volume ratio, are one of the most
viable candidate for sensor fabrication [18, 19]. Due to large number of exposed
surface atoms, the sensitivity of nanomaterials is far superior than other materials.
Despite these advantages, most nanomaterials have a drawback of not being easily
addressable as far as device fabrication is concerned. Nanofiber, as a sensor
material, have the advantage that they can be easily manipulated and fabricated in
the form of sensors [20–22]. In addition, the use of these sensors is also inexpensive
(cost-effective) because they are prepared with conventional microelectronics
manufacturing equipment and mostly non expensive instrumentation is required for
its fabrication.
Herein, we review the role of the nanofiber as a sensor material for water
pollutant monitoring and contaminant detection. Nanofibers of various shapes, size,
and compositions often exhibit unique and exquisite physico-chemical, optical,
catalytic and electronic properties, which are immensely useful for sensor research.
A brief introduction on the synthesis of nanofibers is presented followed by the
recent developments in the application of nanofiber as a sensor material. Though
the list of contaminants as well as materials for their detection is large, the present
chapter reviews the application of nanofibers for the detection of following categories of pollutants: (1) Heavy metals, (2) Organic compounds, and (3) biological
contaminants. These Nanofiber-based sensing techniques have great impact in the
field of environmental monitoring water pollution detection.
2 Nanofiber: An Appropriate Sensing Material
The role of materials in fabrication of sensors is extremely important.
Nanomaterials, as mentioned above, are a material of choice for most sensing
applications [4]. Nanofibers are 1-D nanostructures, which implies that their two
dimensions are in the Nano range (<100 nm) while the third dimension is in the
micro/macro range [23, 24]. This provides a unique benefit as compared to their
other counterparts in the family of nanomaterials. We all know that it is much easier
to control and manipulate micro/macro materials as compared to nanomaterials thus
leading to ease in the device fabrication and material integration. Since nanofibers
have one dimension in the micro/macro range, it is easier to control them and
fabricate sensors using them. They are also an excellent tool for water remediation
from different type of industrial and biological pollutants [25].
In the field of environmental monitoring, nanofiber-based sensors offer great
potentials in trace contaminants detection due to their large surface area, high
surface reactivity and catalytic efficiency, strong adsorption characteristics, readily
functionalized, and can be easily fabricated in the form of a nanosensor or
Nanofiber Based Sensors for Water Pollution Monitoring
301