Detection of Environmental Detection of Environmental Pollutants Using Pollutants Using

Biosensors: Future Trends Biosensors: Future Trends and Applicationsand Applications

Zenaida F. MergalZenaida F. Mergal

PhD Biology EducationPhD Biology Education

ObjectivesObjectivesDefine and describe biosensorsDefine and describe biosensorsEnumerate the different parts and types of Enumerate the different parts and types of biosensorsbiosensorsList down and describe the first animal List down and describe the first animal sensorssensorsDiscuss a brief history of biosensors and Discuss a brief history of biosensors and the latter compares of currently used the latter compares of currently used chemistry analysischemistry analysisOutline the current and potential Outline the current and potential application/s of biosensors application/s of biosensors

IntroductionIntroduction

BiosensorsBiosensors is a device that detects, transmits and records is a device that detects, transmits and records

information regarding a physiological or information regarding a physiological or biochemical change (D’Souza, 2001) biochemical change (D’Souza, 2001)

Discovered by Leland C. Clark in 1962Discovered by Leland C. Clark in 1962 Has three parts: Has three parts: (1) biological detector(1) biological detector

(2) transducer(2) transducer

(3) processing unit (3) processing unit

(Maddalena, 2010)(Maddalena, 2010)

Classification of BiosensorsClassification of Biosensors

Classification based on three schemes:Classification based on three schemes: As to the receptor typeAs to the receptor type

An immunosensor, an antibodyAn immunosensor, an antibody As to the physics of transduction processAs to the physics of transduction process

Amphoteric sensorAmphoteric sensor As to applicationAs to application

Medical BiosensorMedical Biosensor

First Animal BiosensorsFirst Animal BiosensorsCanary yellowCanary yellow old time ‘Coal Miners’ Biosensorold time ‘Coal Miners’ Biosensor

African clawed frogAfrican clawed frog Detects earthquakes (as far as 74 km)Detects earthquakes (as far as 74 km) Has melanophores, which allow them to

change color in the presence of bacterial pathogens

Chinook Salmon Also has melanophores which rapidly detects

human pathogens

Brief History of BiosensorsBrief History of Biosensors1962 – Leland C. Clark first described a biosensor 1962 – Leland C. Clark first described a biosensor

as an amphoteric enzyme electrode for as an amphoteric enzyme electrode for glucoseglucose

1969 – first potentiometric biosensor1969 – first potentiometric biosensor

1970s– Ion Selective Field Effect Transistor, Fiber 1970s– Ion Selective Field Effect Transistor, Fiber Optic SensorOptic Sensor

1980s–1980s–first Surface Plasmon Resonance Immunosensor (SPR)

1990s – SPR based and handheld biosensors– SPR based and handheld biosensors

Current – quantum dots, nanoparticlesCurrent – quantum dots, nanoparticles

Current Applications of BiosensorsCurrent Applications of BiosensorsEnvironmental MonitoringEnvironmental Monitoring Genotoxic compoundsGenotoxic compounds Soil Contaminants (pesticides, heavy metals, Soil Contaminants (pesticides, heavy metals,

explosives)explosives) Water PollutantsWater Pollutants BioremediationBioremediation

Other Important Applications and TrendsOther Important Applications and Trends Biomedical Applications (Diagnosis of Biomedical Applications (Diagnosis of

Diseases)Diseases) Food AnalysisFood Analysis

Current Applications of BiosensorsCurrent Applications of BiosensorsEnvironmental Monitoring Environmental Monitoring Detection of Ecotoxicological substances Detection of Ecotoxicological substances

(Eggen, 2003)(Eggen, 2003) Monitoring of organic and inorganic pollutants Monitoring of organic and inorganic pollutants

(Mazaz, 2006)(Mazaz, 2006) In Situ Monitoring of environmental pollutants In Situ Monitoring of environmental pollutants

(Shin, 2010)(Shin, 2010) Wireless biosensor (Endo, 2010)Wireless biosensor (Endo, 2010)

Current Applications of BiosensorsCurrent Applications of Biosensors

Environmental Monitoring (cont’n) Environmental Monitoring (cont’n) Microbiological/Bacterial Biosensors Microbiological/Bacterial Biosensors

(Belchor, 2001 and Jantra, 2005)(Belchor, 2001 and Jantra, 2005) Luminiscent Emitting Bacteria (Aveni, 2000)Luminiscent Emitting Bacteria (Aveni, 2000) Cyanobacteria, Yeast and Fungi (Belkin, Cyanobacteria, Yeast and Fungi (Belkin,

2003)2003)

Current Applications of BiosensorsCurrent Applications of BiosensorsEnvironmental Monitoring (cont’n) Environmental Monitoring (cont’n)

1.1. Genotoxic compounds detectionGenotoxic compounds detectionDetection of DNA damaging or genotoxic Detection of DNA damaging or genotoxic compounds using DNA biosensor (Bagni, 2005)compounds using DNA biosensor (Bagni, 2005)

2.2. Soil Contaminants identificationSoil Contaminants identificationHeavy Metals (Solanki, 2009)Heavy Metals (Solanki, 2009) Usually released thru industrial wastesUsually released thru industrial wastes Includes Arsenic, Cadmium, Copper, Lead, Includes Arsenic, Cadmium, Copper, Lead,

MercuryMercury Detected using Plasmon Resonance-based DNA Detected using Plasmon Resonance-based DNA

biosensorbiosensor

Current Applications of BiosensorsCurrent Applications of Biosensors2. 2. Soil Contaminants identification (cont’n)Soil Contaminants identification (cont’n)

Toxic pesticides and heavy metals (Rao, 2007)Toxic pesticides and heavy metals (Rao, 2007) Heavy metals mobility and bioavailability (Almendras, Heavy metals mobility and bioavailability (Almendras,

2009)2009)Included Arsenic, Copper, Iron, Lead and ZincIncluded Arsenic, Copper, Iron, Lead and Zinc

Compared chemical sequential extraction against biomet Compared chemical sequential extraction against biomet sensorssensors

Pesticides detection (Förster, 2008Pesticides detection (Förster, 2008))Employed high affinity biosensors and antibodes Employed high affinity biosensors and antibodes (recognition)(recognition)

Can detect and discriminate different explosivesCan detect and discriminate different explosives

Current Applications of BiosensorsCurrent Applications of Biosensors3. 3. Water PollutantsWater Pollutants

Analysis of Mineral water (Deryabin, 2008)Analysis of Mineral water (Deryabin, 2008)Used bioluminiscent detection systemUsed bioluminiscent detection system

Determination of Iron Loading (Poiata, 2005)Determination of Iron Loading (Poiata, 2005)Employed Employed Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pseudomonas aeruginosa Principle of testing involved uptake of iron by Principle of testing involved uptake of iron by bacteria and emission of lumniscencebacteria and emission of lumniscence

Bioactive Organic Compounds Detection Bioactive Organic Compounds Detection (Tschmelak, 2005)(Tschmelak, 2005)

Tested water for presence of certain hormones Tested water for presence of certain hormones such as testosterone, progesterone, estrogen, such as testosterone, progesterone, estrogen, propanil, etc.propanil, etc.

Current Applications of BiosensorsCurrent Applications of Biosensors3. 3. Water PollutantsWater Pollutants

Freshwater Toxicity (Durrieu, 2004)Freshwater Toxicity (Durrieu, 2004)Tested water for presence of certain hormones Tested water for presence of certain hormones such as testosterone, progesterone, estrogen, such as testosterone, progesterone, estrogen, propanil, etc.propanil, etc.

Made use of two algal biosensorsMade use of two algal biosensors Biological Oxygen Demand DeterminationBiological Oxygen Demand Determination

(Ponomarevaa, 2011)(Ponomarevaa, 2011)Used microbial biosensorsUsed microbial biosensors

Oil Spills (Houlton, 2011)Oil Spills (Houlton, 2011)Made use of new antibody-based biosensorMade use of new antibody-based biosensor

Current Applications of BiosensorsCurrent Applications of Biosensors

4. Bioremediation4. Bioremediation Toxicity monitoring (Souxsie, 2005)Toxicity monitoring (Souxsie, 2005)

Prevent toxic shockPrevent toxic shock Marine pollutants (Houlton, 2011)Marine pollutants (Houlton, 2011)

Track and detect oil spills to arrest spreadTrack and detect oil spills to arrest spread

Current Applications of BiosensorsCurrent Applications of Biosensors

Other Important Applications and Other Important Applications and TrendsTrends

1.1. Biomedical ApplicationsBiomedical Applications Diagnosis of Diseases (Endo, 2010)Diagnosis of Diseases (Endo, 2010) Monitoring of Blood GlucoseMonitoring of Blood Glucose Multi-signal digital biosensors (Wang, Multi-signal digital biosensors (Wang,

2010)2010) Tested glucose, lactate, norepinephrineTested glucose, lactate, norepinephrine

Malarial Screening (Potipitak, 2011)Malarial Screening (Potipitak, 2011) Can diagnose malaria due to Can diagnose malaria due to P. falciparumP. falciparum Can determine genotype of malarial speciesCan determine genotype of malarial species

Current Applications of BiosensorsCurrent Applications of Biosensors

Other Important Applications and Other Important Applications and TrendsTrends

2.2. Food AnalysisFood Analysis Detection of Environmental and Food Detection of Environmental and Food

Contaminants (Baeumner, 2003)Contaminants (Baeumner, 2003) Whole Cell biosensors (Michelini, 2006)Whole Cell biosensors (Michelini, 2006)

Detects genotoxic compounds, xenobiotics, Detects genotoxic compounds, xenobiotics, endocrine disrupting compoundsendocrine disrupting compounds

Mycotoxin detection and other Mycotoxin detection and other contaminants (Tudorache, 2007)contaminants (Tudorache, 2007) Also detected lactic acid, ethanol, etc.Also detected lactic acid, ethanol, etc.

Biosensor TrendsBiosensor TrendsConclusions:Conclusions:

Areas of improvementAreas of improvement

New materials for biosensor production New materials for biosensor production (Wiles, 2005)(Wiles, 2005)

DNA (Potipak, 2011) and nucleic acid DNA (Potipak, 2011) and nucleic acid biosensors (Fe, 2011)biosensors (Fe, 2011)

Factors affecting BiosensorsFactors affecting Biosensors Sensitivity, Efficiency, and Reliability Sensitivity, Efficiency, and Reliability

(Deryabin & Alexshina, 2008)(Deryabin & Alexshina, 2008)

Biosensor TrendsBiosensor Trends

Conclusion (cont’n)Conclusion (cont’n)

Factors affecting Biosensors (cont’n)Factors affecting Biosensors (cont’n) Presence of salt, cations and anions Presence of salt, cations and anions

(Hassibi, 2007)(Hassibi, 2007) Enhance of Biosensor PerformanceEnhance of Biosensor Performance

Acridine Orange for TYR-immobilized CF-based Acridine Orange for TYR-immobilized CF-based flow biosensor (Wang, 2011)flow biosensor (Wang, 2011)

Final ThoughtsFinal ThoughtsWith these technological advancements, With these technological advancements, the only hindrance towards development the only hindrance towards development lies on current policies and financial lies on current policies and financial restrictions. World Health Organization as restrictions. World Health Organization as well as Environmental Protection Agencies well as Environmental Protection Agencies of various countries should take full of various countries should take full advantage of these biosensors in advantage of these biosensors in environmental monitoring, detection of environmental monitoring, detection of various kinds of pollutants, bioremediation various kinds of pollutants, bioremediation and other medical applications. and other medical applications.

Final ThoughtsFinal ThoughtsHowever, the use of such devices may be However, the use of such devices may be subjected to abuse, therefore appropriate subjected to abuse, therefore appropriate laws, policies, rules and regulations should laws, policies, rules and regulations should be in place prior to full launching of be in place prior to full launching of researches associated with clinical trials researches associated with clinical trials and ecosystem element participation. In and ecosystem element participation. In the end, disposal of used or consumed the end, disposal of used or consumed biosensors may also pose significant biosensors may also pose significant ecological and health risk if not properly ecological and health risk if not properly done.done.