The increasing prevalence of emerging contaminants such as microplastics, PFAS, nutrients and trace metals presents a critical challenge for water security in a carbon‑constrained world. Conventional laboratory‑based analytical approaches remain poorly suited to real‑time decision‑making in remote or resource‑limited environments.
This presentation highlights recent advances in electrochemical sensing platforms developed for on‑site, low‑energy, and low‑carbon monitoring of water quality, with a particular focus on aquatic systems in Australia and the Pacific region. Drawing on recent work in nitrate, nitrite and ammonium detection, microplastic occurrence and fate, and ultra‑trace contaminant sensing, this talk demonstrates how miniaturised electrochemical sensors and smart probes can provide robust analytical performance in complex environmental matrices while significantly reducing analytical footprint.
Case studies illustrate deployment in riverine, coastal, and aquaculture‑impacted systems particularly in the Australian context, highlighting sensor resilience to fouling, matrix interference, and variable field conditions.
By replacing energy‑intensive laboratory workflows with decentralised sensing strategies and novel technologies, these technologies offer a pathway toward carbon‑efficient environmental monitoring while enabling faster regulatory and management responses. The presentation will conclude by outlining future directions for integrating electrochemical sensing with data analytics and regulatory frameworks to support sustainable water management under increasing climate and anthropogenic pressures.