Melanin-Related Materials in Electrochemical Sensors for Monitoring the Environment and Food

Melanin-related materials efficiently emulate the adhesion properties of natural mussel filaments and have been used advantageously for surface modification and for fabrication of electrochemical sensors for detection of environmentally relevant targets. The most applicable advantages of melanin-based coatings are their biocompatibility and versatility, and they can be easily prepared and modified according to simple and highly environmentally friendly procedures. For these reasons, melanin-related materials, in particular polydopamine, which can be obtained simply via oxidative polymerization of dopamine in an aqueous solution in the presence of atmospheric oxygen, have been applied in a large variety of scientific and technological fields. Here, we summarize and critically discuss the most recent and important applications of melanin-related materials in the development of electrochemical sensors for monitoring the environment and food. In particular, the examples used in this paper include toxic metal ions, drugs, and pesticides. In the final section of this paper, the actual limitations of the existing approach are discussed and possible future design improvements are suggested.