Recent advances in magnesium assessment: From single selective sensors to multisensory approach

The development of efficient analytical procedures for the selective detection of magnesium is an important analytical task, since this element is one of the most abundant metals in cells and plays an essential role in a plenty of cellular processes. Magnesium misbalance has been related to several pathologies and diseases both in plants and animals, as far as in humans, but the number of suitable methods for magnesium detection especially in life sample and biological environments is scarce. Chemical sensors, due to their high reliability, simplicity of handling and instrumentation, fast and real-time in situ and on site analysis are promising candidates for magnesium analysis and represent an attractive alternative to the standard instrumental methods. Here the recent achievements in the development of chemical sensors for magnesium ions detection over the last decade are reviewed. The working principles and the main types of sensors applied are described. Focus is placed on the optical sensors and multisensory systems applications for magnesium assessment in different media. Further, a critical outlook on the employment of multisensory approach in comparison to single selective sensors application in biological samples is presented. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.