WHAT ARE BIOSENSORS? HOW DO BIOSENSORS WORK AND WHAT ARE THEIR APPLICATIONS IN THE WATER SECTOR?

摘要

Water quality monitoring is traditionally achieved through a grab sample and then lab analysis, which could involve growing microbiology for 24 or 48 hours, and/or analytical chemistry such as mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography or colorimetric chemistry which all take time and can be costly. However, a biosensor can be dipped into water to provide a near instant result of a water quality parameter such as the presence of bacteria, viruses, algae, or pollutants, Biosensors have potential applications in monitoring drinking water supply systems, wastewater systems and raw water in catchments for early detection of water quality issues. "A 'biosensor' can constitute biological molecules integrated with electrical components right through to technology monitoring whole organisms", explains Richard Luxton a Professor at the Institute of Biosensing Technology at the University of the West of England. Typically, a biosensor will detect the presence of a target molecule in a sample, through the use of a specific bioreceptor (e.g. an antibody) which sends a signal of the specific biological binding event via a transducer, which is then processed further and ultimately displays a result to the user (figure 1).