Recent advances in the determination of phosphate in environmental water samples: Insights from practical perspectives

Phosphate plays a crucial role in driving biogeochemical cycles and directly affects environmental quality. Therefore, accurate, practical, and versatile methods for phosphate determination are important for both environmental researchers and analytical chemists. In this review, we address the recent trends in phosphate determination in environmental water samples, based on literature published from 2016 to the beginning of 2020. Developments in both methodologies (e.g., phosphomolybdenum blue spectrophotometry, fluorescence sensing, UV–Vis spectroscopy, chromatography and mass spectrometry) and analytical platforms (e.g., diffusive gradients in thin films, microfluidics, and flow analyzers) are critically reviewed. Issues of quality assurance and quality control are highlighted. The merits and limitations of different methods are evaluated according to their analytical performance and suitable application conditions, with a focus on their practical utility in environmental analysis. Recommendations for future research and development are also discussed.