Comprehensive insights into electrochemical nicotine sensing technologies

Nicotine is a significant alkaloid that is abundant in tobacco products. Given the addictive nature of tobacco products and the health risks associated with their consumption, accurate real-time monitoring of nicotine levels is necessary. Electrochemical sensors are low-cost and noninvasive devices for detecting various target molecules, even at trace levels, with advantages such as high sensitivity, portability, and fast response time. Nevertheless, reliable electrochemical detection of nicotine is particularly difficult because of the active interferents present in complex sample matrices. Recent advances in electrochemical sensing have focused on the development of chemically modified electrodes that mimic the oxidase activity of cytochrome P450, thereby improving the selectivity and sensitivity of nicotine detection. This paper discusses several innovative materials and strategies for the practical detection and quantification of nicotine in complex real-world samples. This study focuses on evaluating the factors influencing the sensing performance of the various electrode materials and electrochemical techniques used. The comprehensive information presented in this study will inform future research on the practical real-time monitoring of nicotine in tobacco products, emphasizing the simplicity, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of the sensor design.