A Graphene Gold Metasurface Inspired Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensor Designed for Terahertz Applications in Sensing and Detection of Heavy Metals in Water

Graphene sensors leverage graphene’s exceptional electrochemical properties to provide high sensitivity and efficiency. This study presents a meta surface-based sensor specifically engineered to detect Cu²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions in drinking water. Employing COMSOL Multiphysics simulations, the graphene-gold sensor demonstrates exceptional performance by maintaining consistent resonance stability and heightened sensitivity, achieved through optimized design parameters. The analysis of signals and the accuracy of detection demonstrates the sensor’s reliability in identifying minute concentrations, reaching as low as 0.257 mol/kg for Cu²⁺ and 0.394 mol/kg for Mg²⁺. The establishment of strong linear correlations, with R² scores of 0.989993 and 0.98719 for Cu²⁺ and Mg²⁺ respectively, further bolsters precision, emphasizing the sensor’s position as an effective tool not only for ensuring purity of drinking water but also as a versatile tool for environmental monitoring.