Nanotechnology driven biorecognition element and label free sensing of pesticides

Pesticide detection is crucial for ensuring food safety and environmental protection. Traditional methods of detection often rely on biorecognition elements and labels, which can be unstable in harsh environment, time-consuming, expensive and adds complexity to the assay. The review starts out by giving a quick synopsis of these assays and their shortcomings. The review subsequently builds upon novel, biorecognition element free, and label free sensors leveraging nanoparticles for the rapid and sensitive detection of pesticides. Nanoparticles are integrated into a sensor platform that operates through aggregation based colorimetric, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) electrochemical or other detection mechanisms. These sensors rely upon the unique optical, electronic and catalytic properties of nanoparticles, which undergo measurable changes in response to pesticide molecules. These changes are monitored in real-time, providing a direct correlation between pesticide concentration and sensor response without the need for complex biorecognition elements or labels. Finally, the advantages, limitations, potential and challenges of biorecognition element free, and label free sensors are discussed through authors perspective.