Redox Mediator‐Based Microbial Biosensors for Acute Water Toxicity Assessment: A Critical Review
Deyu Fang, Guanyue Gao, Yajie Yang, Yu Wang, Lijuan Gao, Jinfang Zhi
Abstract
Abstract Water toxicity assessment is of great importance for monitoring water quality and safeguarding ecological health. Microbial biosensors, which use microorganisms as the bioreceptor, offer a promising complementary method for water quality evaluation. The present Minireview has particular emphasis on microbial biosensors that use redox mediators as signal indicators and their performance for water acute toxicity assessment. The principles, fabrication methods, and recent developments of electrochemical microbial biosensors are systematically summarized. In addition, the application of microbial fuel cells in water biological oxygen demand and biotoxicity determination are also briefly introduced. The main hurdles that hinder the on‐site application of electrochemical microbial biosensors are discussed. With unceasing efforts on improvement of sensitivity and stability, electrochemical microbial biosensors are promising to play more crucial roles in water quality evaluation.