Application of Biosensors in Environmental Monitoring

A special issue of Biosensors (ISSN 2079-6374). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Biosensors and Biosensing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025 | Viewed by 8273

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Industrial Management and Technology, School of Maritime and Industry, University of Piraeus, 18534 Piraeus, Greece
Interests: nanosensors; biomonitoring networks; multi-array sensors; clinical diagnostics; sensor standardization; fault diagnostics (online/offline); environmental management; knowledge management; technology trajectories
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The integration of biosensors in environmental monitoring has emerged as a pivotal research area, promoting their potential to address contemporary challenges and their flexibility in meeting field monitoring needs. The forthcoming Special Issue seeks to highlight cutting-edge advancements and foster dialogue on the key topics shaping this field.

One crucial theme revolves around the development of biosensors for the detection of environmental pollutants at low to ultra-low levels: heavy metals, pesticides, emerging contaminants, biothreat agents, pathogens, toxins, hormone disruptors, nutrients, etc. The submission of articles that explore novel biosensor designs and materials in order to enhance sensitivity and selectivity in pollutant water and soil detection is highly encouraged. The development of biosensors for marine applications is also of particular interest.

Additionally, this Special Issue aims to emphasize the role played by biosensors in the assessment of air quality. With urbanization and industrial activities impacting these crucial resources, biosensors offer a rapid and real-time monitoring solution. Papers addressing the design and application of biosensors for the tracking of various air quality parameters will contribute significantly to this discourse.

Furthermore, this Special Issue welcomes submissions that focus on the integration of biosensors with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, IoT, and nanotechnology. Collaborative efforts in these interdisciplinary areas could revolutionize the precision, scalability, and accessibility of environmental monitoring systems.

In addition, research on biosensor standardization, development guidelines, environmental applicability, technology trajectories, computer-aided design, 3D printing applications and the reliability of device operations are welcomed.

In summary, this Special Issue seeks papers that are at the forefront of biosensor technology and aims to present its real-world application in the environment, offering practical solutions in order to safeguard successful implementations.

Dr. Christina Siontorou
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biosensors is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biosensor development
  • environmental monitoring
  • sensitivity enhancement
  • selectivity optimization
  • emerging contaminants
  • real-time detection
  • IoT integration
  • nanotechnology applications
  • sustainable sensing
  • field deployability

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

17 pages, 3150 KiB  
Article
Plant Biosensors Analysis for Monitoring Nectarine Water Status
by María R. Conesa, Wenceslao Conejero, Juan Vera and M. Carmen Ruiz Sánchez
Biosensors 2024, 14(12), 583; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios14120583 - 30 Nov 2024
Viewed by 516
Abstract
The real-time monitoring of plant water status is an important issue for digital irrigation to increase water productivity. This work focused on a comparison of three biosensors that continuously evaluate plant water status: trunk microtensiometers (MTs), trunk time-domain reflectometry (TDR), and LVDT sensors. [...] Read more.
The real-time monitoring of plant water status is an important issue for digital irrigation to increase water productivity. This work focused on a comparison of three biosensors that continuously evaluate plant water status: trunk microtensiometers (MTs), trunk time-domain reflectometry (TDR), and LVDT sensors. During the summer and autumn seasons (DOY 150–300), nectarine trees were subjected to four different consecutive irrigation periods based on the soil Management Allowed Deficit (MAD) concept, namely: MAD10 (light deficit); MAD50 (moderate deficit); MAD100 (severe deficit), and MAD0 (full irrigation). Measurements of stem water potential (Ψstem) and leaf gas exchange were recorded on representative days. A continuous measurement of the plant water status of Ψtrunk, MDS, and Ktrunk revealed the water deficits imposed on the soil. The highest water deficit observed at the end of the MAD100 period (Ψstem = −2.04 MPa and Ɵv = 17%) resulted in a minimum value of Ψtrunk (−1.81 MPa). The maximum value of MDS (408 µm) was observed earlier than that of Ψtrunk, motivated by the low sensitivity of MDS at Ψtrunk < −1.2 MPa and Ψstem < −1.5 MPa due to a decrease in the tissue elasticity of the trunk when severe water deficit conditions are reached. Both Ψtrunk and Ψstem were more dependent on soil water content, while MDS was more responsive to environmental changes. Ktrunk was the weakest indicator for determining plant water status, although when expressed as a daily fraction of depletion (KtrunkFD), it improved, evidencing a process of hysteresis. Ψtrunk showed the highest sensitivity, suggesting the potential use of MTs as a valuable biosensor for monitoring nectarine water status in digital agrosystems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Biosensors in Environmental Monitoring)
Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 2350 KiB  
Article
Ultra-Selective and Sensitive Fluorescent Chemosensor Based on Phage Display-Derived Peptide with an N-Terminal Cu(II)-Binding Motif
by Marta Sosnowska, Tomasz Łęga, Dawid Nidzworski, Marcin Olszewski and Beata Gromadzka
Biosensors 2024, 14(11), 555; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios14110555 - 14 Nov 2024
Viewed by 715
Abstract
Copper, along with gold, was among the first metals that humans employed. Thus, the copper pollution of the world’s water resources is escalating, posing a significant threat to human health and aquatic ecosystems. It is crucial to develop detection technology that is both [...] Read more.
Copper, along with gold, was among the first metals that humans employed. Thus, the copper pollution of the world’s water resources is escalating, posing a significant threat to human health and aquatic ecosystems. It is crucial to develop detection technology that is both low-cost and feasible, as well as ultra-selective and sensitive. This study explored the use of the NH2-Xxx-His motif-derived peptide from phage display technology for ultra-selective Cu2+ detection. Various Cu-binding M13 phage clones were isolated, and their affinity and cross-reactivity for different metal ions were determined. A detailed analysis of the amino acid sequence of the unique Cu-binding peptides was employed. For the development of an optical chemosensor, a peptide with an NH2-Xxx-His motif was selected. The dansyl group was incorporated during solid-phase peptide synthesis, and fluorescence detection assays were employed. The efficacy of the Cu2+-binding peptide was verified through spectroscopic measurements. In summary, we developed a highly selective and sensitive fluorescent chemosensor for Cu2+ detection based on a peptide sequence from a phage display library that carries the N-terminal Xxx-His motif. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Biosensors in Environmental Monitoring)
Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 7284 KiB  
Article
Design a Friendly Nanoscale Chemical Sensor Based on Gold Nanoclusters for Detecting Thiocyanate Ions in Food Industry Applications
by Reham Ali and Sayed M. Saleh
Biosensors 2024, 14(5), 223; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios14050223 - 30 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1547
Abstract
The surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) induces the aggregation of gold nanoclusters (GNCs), leading to the development of a proposed fluorometric technique for detecting thiocyanate (SCN) ions based on an anti-aggregation mechanism. This approach is straightforward to execute, highly sensitive, and selective. [...] Read more.
The surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) induces the aggregation of gold nanoclusters (GNCs), leading to the development of a proposed fluorometric technique for detecting thiocyanate (SCN) ions based on an anti-aggregation mechanism. This approach is straightforward to execute, highly sensitive, and selective. A significant quenching effect occurs in fluorescence upon using the aggregation agent CTAB in GNCs synthesis, resulting in a transition from intense red fluorescence to dim red. The decrease in fluorescence intensity of GNCs in the presence of CTAB is caused by the mechanism of fluorescence quenching mediated by aggregation. As the levels of SCN rise, the fluorescence of CTAB-GNCs increases; this may be detected using spectrofluorometry or by visually inspecting under UV irradiation. The recovery of red fluorescence of CTAB-GNCs in the presence of SCN enables the precise and discerning identification of SCN within the concentration range of 2.86–140 nM. The minimum detectable concentration of the SCN ions was 1 nM. The selectivity of CTAB-GNCs towards SCN ions was investigated compared to other ions, and it was demonstrated that CTAB-GNCs exhibit exceptional selectivity. Furthermore, we believe that CTAB-GNCs have novel possibilities as favorable sensor candidates for various industrial applications. Our detection technique was validated by analyzing SCN ions in milk samples, which yielded promising results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Biosensors in Environmental Monitoring)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

17 pages, 6440 KiB  
Article
Pulse Feature-Enhanced Classification of Microalgae and Cyanobacteria Using Polarized Light Scattering and Fluorescence Signals
by Ran Bi, Jianxiong Yang, Chengqi Huang, Xiaoyu Zhang, Ran Liao and Hui Ma
Biosensors 2024, 14(4), 160; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios14040160 - 28 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1540
Abstract
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) pose a global threat to the biodiversity and stability of local aquatic ecosystems. Rapid and accurate classification of microalgae and cyanobacteria in water is increasingly desired for monitoring complex water environments. In this paper, we propose a pulse feature-enhanced [...] Read more.
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) pose a global threat to the biodiversity and stability of local aquatic ecosystems. Rapid and accurate classification of microalgae and cyanobacteria in water is increasingly desired for monitoring complex water environments. In this paper, we propose a pulse feature-enhanced classification (PFEC) method as a potential solution. Equipped with a rapid measurement prototype that simultaneously detects polarized light scattering and fluorescence signals of individual particles, PFEC allows for the extraction of 38 pulse features to improve the classification accuracy of microalgae, cyanobacteria, and other suspended particulate matter (SPM) to 89.03%. Compared with microscopic observation, PFEC reveals three phyla proportions in aquaculture samples with an average error of less than 14%. In this paper, PFEC is found to be more accurate than the pulse-average classification method, which is interpreted as pulse features carrying more detailed information about particles. The high consistency of the dominant and common species between PFEC and microscopy in all field samples also demonstrates the flexibility and robustness of the former. Moreover, the high Pearson correlation coefficient accounting for 0.958 between the cyanobacterial proportion obtained by PFEC and the cyanobacterial density given by microscopy implies that PFEC serves as a promising early warning tool for cyanobacterial blooms. The results of this work suggest that PFEC holds great potential for the rapid and accurate classification of microalgae and cyanobacteria in aquatic environment monitoring. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Biosensors in Environmental Monitoring)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

16 pages, 5639 KiB  
Review
Fire up Biosensor Technology to Assess the Vitality of Trees after Wildfires
by Eleftherios Touloupakis, Isabela Calegari Moia, Raffaella Margherita Zampieri, Claudia Cocozza, Niccolò Frassinelli, Enrico Marchi, Cristiano Foderi, Tiziana Di Lorenzo, Negar Rezaie, Valerio Giorgio Muzzini, Maria Laura Traversi and Alessio Giovannelli
Biosensors 2024, 14(8), 373; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios14080373 - 31 Jul 2024
Viewed by 3374
Abstract
The development of tools to quickly identify the fate of damaged trees after a stress event such as a wildfire is of great importance. In this context, an innovative approach to assess irreversible physiological damage in trees could help to support the planning [...] Read more.
The development of tools to quickly identify the fate of damaged trees after a stress event such as a wildfire is of great importance. In this context, an innovative approach to assess irreversible physiological damage in trees could help to support the planning of management decisions for disturbed sites to restore biodiversity, protect the environment and understand the adaptations of ecosystem functionality. The vitality of trees can be estimated by several physiological indicators, such as cambium activity and the amount of starch and soluble sugars, while the accumulation of ethanol in the cambial cells and phloem is considered an alarm sign of cell death. However, their determination requires time-consuming laboratory protocols, making the approach impractical in the field. Biosensors hold considerable promise for substantially advancing this field. The general objective of this review is to define a system for quantifying the plant vitality in forest areas exposed to fire. This review describes recent electrochemical biosensors that can detect plant molecules, focusing on biosensors for glucose, fructose, and ethanol as indicators of tree vitality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Biosensors in Environmental Monitoring)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop