Next-Generation Biosensing Technologies for Environmental Monitoring, Food Protection, and Industrial Bioprocess Management

Abstract

Biosensors are increasingly important in the detection of biological and chemical targets in real time, in a sensitive and selective manner, for environmental monitoring, food safety and industrial applications. Their effectiveness requires precision design of elements such as biorecognition elements, transducers, signal amplifiers, and computational interfaces that can produce high throughput and reliable detection. The present article presents an overview of biosensor applications in different fields with special attention to emerging pollutants being investigated and their challenging conditions of operation. In the environmental domain, biosensors are used commonly to detect toxic heavy metals (Pb 2+ , Hg 2+ , and Cd 2+ ) and pathogens in the water, especially E. coli and Salmonella, as well as to monitor nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates to prevent eutrophication. The same technology has also been applied for air quality measurement through PM (particulate matter) and GHG (greenhouse gases) measurement, and soil contamination tracking for the identification of pesticide residues, hydrocarbons, and agrochemical leachates. In the area of industrial bioprocesses and effluent management systems, the biosensors help the detection of hazardous intermediates, industrial by-products, and environmental pollutants for conformance with the law for discharges. The versatility of electrochemical, optical, immunosensing, and enzymatic biosensors can be demonstrated in food safety applications such as the detection of allergens, adulterants, microbial contaminants, pesticides, and heavy metals throughout the supply chain. Developments in computational technologies such as machine learning, signal processing solutions, IoT connectivity aspects, and digital twins further increase the efficiency of biosensors from higher sensitivity levels, greater pattern recognition, higher automation processes, and a more demanding form of predictive analytics. This outlook specifies where technology is currently lacking and the standardization needs and the channels for applying biosensors to the real world to accelerate the deployment of the technology in a variety of applications. This contributes to a more sustainable way of environmental management, a safer food system production, and simplified regulation of industrial processes.