Enzyme-Based Electrochemical Biosensors for Microfluidic Platforms to Detect Pharmaceutical Residues in Wastewater

Abstract

Emerging water pollutants such as pharmaceutical contaminants are suspected to induce adverse effects to human health. These molecules became worrisome due to their increasingly high concentrations in surface waters. Despite this alarming situation, available data about actual concentrations in the environment is rather scarce, as it is not commonly monitored or regulated. This is aggravated even further by the absence of portable and reliable methods for their determination in the field. A promising way to tackle these issues is the use of enzyme-based and miniaturized biosensors for their electrochemical detection. Here, we present an overview of the latest developments in amperometric microfluidic biosensors that include, modeling and multiphysics simulation, design, manufacture, testing, and operation methods. Different types of biosensors are described, highlighting those based on oxidases/peroxidases and the integration with microfluidic platforms. Finally, issues regarding the stability of the biosensors and the enzyme molecules are discussed, as well as the most relevant approaches to address these obstacles.

Metal Nanoparticles for Electrochemical Sensing: Progress and Challenges in the Clinical Transition of Point-of-Care Testing

“…This is because of enzymes are amino acids that are capable of inducing biochemical catalysis [ 1 , 56 ]. They are capable of interacting with electrochemically inactive bioanalytes and producing electroactive species [ 26 , 27 , 60 ]. Enzymes often significantly increase the rate of reaction and the kinetic parameters can be readily investigated with simple EATs [ 1 , 60 ].…”

Applications of Microbial Laccases: Patent Review of the Past Decade (2009–2019)

“…Laccase-based biosensors have been reviewed by Rodríguez-Delgado et al [135] and most recently by Castrovilli et al [136]. Laccases are used for the development of biosensors for the detection of catechol [137], dopamine [138], polyphenols [139], 17β-estradiol [140], pharmaceutical residues [141], and others.…”

Amperometric Biosensors as an Analytical Tool in Food, Dairy and Fermentation Industries

“…[9][10][11] The utility of biosensor areas are clinical, quality control, diagnostics, medical applications, process control, bioreactors, agriculture and veterinary medicine, bacterial and viral diagnostics, drug production, wastewater treatment from industries, mining, military defense industry etc. [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] Amperometric biosensors are integrated devices that are established based on the estimation of the current generated due to the oxidation or reduction of an electroactive organic component, yielding a distinct quantitative analytical data. 27 Amperometric biosensors measure the current stream between the anode and cathode when a redox response takes place and the resulting current is found to be proportional to the electroactive element in the solution.…”