Chapter 6: Detection of Heavy Metals Present in the Environment by Biosensors

Industrial processes and agriculture are among the anthropogenic activities that contribute to heavy metal contamination in water, soil, and sediments. The determination of heavy metal levels in environmental samples is of utmost importance, as they are non-biodegradable and can cause various adverse health effects at high levels, as well as damage aquatic ecosystems. Biosensors have recently gained attention for their promising properties, including high selectivity, sensitivity, and robustness. They are composed of bioreceptors and transducers (electrochemical, optical, gravimetric, and thermal), which convert data into an electrical response. In this chapter, we summarize all biosensors with electrochemical transducers used over the past decade to quantify heavy metals in environmental samples. Electrochemical biosensors are classified based on the type of bioreceptors: enzymatic, functional nucleic acid-based, and whole-cell-based.