Application of Microbial Biosensor to Detect Environmental Contaminants, Additives in Food and Biomolecules in Clinical Specimens

Pushpendra Pratap Singh and Sarika Chaturvedi*

Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Haryana, Gurugram – 122413, Haryana, India.

*Corresponding author email:schaturvedi@ggn.amity.edu

Abstract

Microbial biosensors are devices that detect and measure the presence of certain environmental pollutants using active microorganisms such as yeast or bacteria. These biosensors worked by providing an observable and measurable signal from the microbes’ metabolic activities. These biosensors can detect and monitor a wide variety of pollutants, including organic compounds, heavy metals, and pesticides. One potential use for microbial biosensors in the food industry is the detection of food additives such as preservatives and flavor enhancers. This can help to ensure that food is meeting to legal criteria and are safe to consume. Microbial biosensors can detect and quantify clinically relevant biomolecules (such as specific proteins, enzymes, and other metabolites) in clinical samples, and thus used for diagnostics. The cheap cost, increased sensitivity, higher accuracy, and faster detection time of biosensors make them extremely promising. This chapter discusses the use of biosensors to detect environmental pollutants, food additives, and biomolecules in clinical specimens.

Keywords: Microbial biosensor; Environmental pollutants; Food additives; Biomolecules