Recent advances in potentiometric analysis of rare earth metals: The need for further research

Rare earth metals play a critical role in advanced industrial technologies such as their increased use in batteries, but their accelerating processing of these metals raises concerns about environmental pollution and public health. Therefore, accurate and precise determination of rare earth elements in complex matrices has become a significant analytical priority. The determination of these metal ions in potential sources and their isolation for further use are also of high industrial importance. Potentiometric ion-selective electrodes offer a promising alternative to conventional analytical methods due to their certain advantages such as their low cost, rapid response, and suitability for in situ analysis. This article provides an overview of recent advances and applications in potentiometric approaches for rare earth element determination, including novel electrode materials, selective membrane designs, and ion-selective electrode configurations. Moreover, here we covered important analytical parameters, and sensor materials and types, all of which need to be taken into account in potentiometric sensor design, to be able to develop optimized analytical devices based on potentiometry.