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Biosensors: A Biotechnological Tool for Monitoring Environmental Pollution

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Bioremediation and Biotechnology, Vol 3

Abstract

Biosensor is an analytical tool comprised of a recognition element of biological origin and a physico-chemical transducer. They convert a bio-signal into a measurable response. The bio-recognition element is immobilized on an appropriate support matrix. The binding of the specific analyte to its complementary bio-recognition element becomes the principle of detection. Biosensors have gained huge significance in the fields of defense, biomedicine, food industries, drug discovery, and environmental pollution monitoring. The use of such tools is speedily rising and their production for incessant and real-time detection is earning much importance. Due to their tremendous sensitivity, specificity, and selectivity they are used for bio-monitoring environmental health. The environment is incessantly burdened with number of pollutants released by anthropogenic actions that harm the ecological equilibrium, thereby threatening the integrity of environment. The occurrence of these pollutants is turning into a universal challenge for environmental safety and human wellbeing. Even though regulatory authorities are trying to combat these pollutants at the source of entry, still it needs an efficient and integrated ecological management plan. Hence, the entry of these effluents into the environment needs to be minimized. Consequently, there is growing need to methods that can detect and monitor these environmental pollutants in perceptive and selective approach to facilitate efficient remediation. Efficient tools are needed to monitor these pollutants which will act as early warning systems. Presently, a large spectrum of biosensors has been designed that facilitate the detection of pollutants by measuring color, light, fluorescence, or electric current. Modern trend in monitoring of environment is utilization of novel and innovative biotechnological techniques with focus on genetic or protein engineering. Besides, synthetic biology to program microbes may also be utilized to enhance the specificity, selectivity, and accuracy of biosensors. They can sense general or specific toxicity generated by different types of pollutants. Application of biosensors has therefore a great potential for ecological scrutiny and recognition of pollutants.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, India

    Rohaya Ali

  2. Department of Environmental Science, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, India

    Dig Vijay Singh

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  1. Rohaya Ali
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  2. Dig Vijay Singh
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science, Cluster University, Sri Pratap College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Rouf Ahmad Bhat

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Dr Najla Bint Saud Al-Saud Center for Excellence Research in Biotechnology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Khalid Rehman Hakeem

  3. Director of the Princess Dr Najla Bint Saud Al-Saud Center for Excellence Research in Biotechnology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Najla Bint Saud Al-Saud

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Ali, R., Singh, D.V. (2020). Biosensors: A Biotechnological Tool for Monitoring Environmental Pollution. In: Bhat, R., Hakeem, K., Saud Al-Saud, N. (eds) Bioremediation and Biotechnology, Vol 3. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46075-4_15

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