Design and Deployment of Microbial and Enzyme-Based Biosensors for Real-Time Detection of Heavy Metals and Organic Pollutants in Aquatic Ecosystems

Muhammad Mustafa Abdullah Raja; Madiha Noreen; Zoha Khan; Zaafran Khan; Maniha Sarfraz; Afshan Rubab Islamia

doi:10.70749/ijbr.v3i8.2033

Authors

Muhammad Mustafa Abdullah Raja Karachi Grammar School, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.
Madiha Noreen Bahauddin Zakria University, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan.
Zoha Khan International School, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Zaafran Khan Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, AJK, Pakistan.
Maniha Sarfraz Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Baghdad ul Jadeed Campus, Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan.
Afshan Rubab Islamia Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Baghdad ul Jadeed Campus, Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.70749/ijbr.v3i8.2033

Keywords:

Biosensors, Aquatic Ecosystems, Real-time Monitoring, Environmental Pollutants, Microbial Strains, Enzyme-based Sensors, Environmental Factors, Water Management.

Abstract

This study investigates the design, development, and deployment of microbial and enzyme-based biosensors for the detection of pollutants in aquatic ecosystems. By leveraging microbial strains such as Pseudomonas putida and Shewanella oneidensis, alongside enzymes like acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and laccase, the research aims to provide real-time, on-site monitoring solutions for heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Hg) and organic pollutants (malathion, naphthalene). The biosensors demonstrated high sensitivity and quick response times, with detection limits as low as 0.02 µg/L for malathion and 0.05 µg/L for heavy metals. The sensors' performance was optimized by varying environmental factors, including pH, temperature, and salinity, with statistical analysis revealing that these factors significantly impact sensor sensitivity. This study highlights the potential of these biosensors in addressing the challenges of aquatic pollution monitoring, emphasizing the importance of integrating advanced materials and sensor designs for robust, long-term environmental applications. The findings suggest that these biosensors, when coupled with real-time data acquisition and IoT technologies, could contribute significantly to sustainable water management practices and pollution detection in complex water matrices.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Arduini, D., Portacci, G., Giangrande, A., Acquaviva, M. I., Borghese, J., Calabrese, C., Giandomenico, S., Quarta, E., & Stabili, L. (2023). Growth performance of mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819 under an innovative integrated multi-trophic aquaculture system (IMTA) in the mar grande of Taranto (Mediterranean Sea, Italy). Water, 15(10), 1922.

https://doi.org/10.3390/w15101922

Hama Aziz, K. H., Mustafa, F. S., Omer, K. M., Hama, S., Hamarawf, R. F., & Rahman, K. O. (2023). Heavy metal pollution in the aquatic environment: Efficient and low-cost removal approaches to eliminate their toxicity: a review. RSC Advances, 13(26), 17595-17610.

https://doi.org/10.1039/d3ra00723e

Costa, L. L., Da Costa, M. F., & Zalmon, I. R. (2021). Macroinvertebrates as biomonitors of pollutants on natural sandy beaches: Overview and meta-analysis. Environmental Pollution, 275, 116629.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116629

De Almeida Rodrigues, P., Ferrari, R. G., Kato, L. S., Hauser-Davis, R. A., & Conte-Junior, C. A. (2021). A systematic review on metal dynamics and marine toxicity risk assessment using crustaceans as Bioindicators. Biological Trace Element Research, 200(2), 881-903.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-021-02685-3

De Vito-Francesco, E., Farinelli, A., Yang, Q., Nagar, B., Álvarez, R., Merkoçi, A., Knutz, T., Haider, A., Stach, W., Ziegenbalg, F., & Allabashi, R. (2022). An innovative autonomous robotic system for on-site detection of heavy metal pollution plumes in surface water. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 194(2).

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-021-09738-z

Ding, Q., Li, C., Wang, H., Xu, C., & Kuang, H. (2021). Electrochemical detection of heavy metal ions in water. Chemical Communications, 57(59), 7215-7231.

https://doi.org/10.1039/d1cc00983d

Han, Y., Tian, Y., Li, Q., Yao, T., Yao, J., Zhang, Z., & Wu, L. (2025). Advances in detection technologies for pesticide residues and heavy metals in rice: A comprehensive review of spectroscopy, chromatography, and biosensors. Foods, 14(6), 1070.

https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14061070

Kahlon, S. K., Sharma, G., Julka, J. M., Kumar, A., Sharma, S., & Stadler, F. J. (2018). Impact of heavy metals and nanoparticles on aquatic biota. Environmental Chemistry Letters, 16(3), 919-946.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-018-0737-4

Kumar, A., Saxena, P., & Kisku, G. C. (2023). Heavy metal contamination of surface water and bed-sediment quality for ecological risk assessment of Gomti river, India. Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment, 37(8), 3243-3260.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00477-023-02447-8

Kumar, N., Chandan, N. K., Bhushan, S., Singh, D. K., & Kumar, S. (2023). Health risk assessment and metal contamination in fish, water and soil sediments in the east Kolkata wetlands, India, Ramsar site. Scientific Reports, 13(1).

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-28801-y

Kumar, P., Mishra, V., Yadav, S., Yadav, A., Garg, S., Poria, P., Farooqi, F., Dumée, L. F., & Sharma, R. S. (2022). Heavy metal pollution and risks in a highly polluted and populated Indian river–city pair using the systems approach. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(40), 60212-60231.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-20034-2

Kumar, S., Nand, S., Pratap, B., Dubey, D., & Dutta, V. (2021). Removal kinetics and treatment efficiency of heavy metals and other wastewater contaminants in a constructed wetland microcosm: Does mixed macrophytic combinations perform better? Journal of Cleaner Production, 327, 129468.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129468

Kumari, A., Sinha, S. K., Rani, N., & Sinha, R. K. (2021). Assessment of heavy metal pollution in water, sediment, and fish of the river Ganga at Varanasi, India. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 14(22).

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-08668-x

Mishra, R., Kumar, A., Singh, E., Kumar, S., Tripathi, V. K., Jha, S. K., & Shukla, S. K. (2022). Current status of available techniques for removal of heavy metal contamination in the river ecosystem. Ecological Significance of River Ecosystems, 217-234.

https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-323-85045-2.00007-8

Paital, B., Pati, S. G., Panda, F., Jally, S. K., & Agrawal, P. K. (2022). Changes in physicochemical, heavy metals and air quality linked to spot Aplocheilus panchax along Mahanadi industrial belt of India under COVID-19-induced lockdowns. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 45(3), 751-770.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-022-01247-3

Parida, L., & Patel, T. N. (2023). Systemic impact of heavy metals and their role in cancer development: A review. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 195(6).

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-11399-z

Purcarea, C., Ruginescu, R., Banciu, R. M., & Vasilescu, A. (2024). Extremozyme-based biosensors for environmental pollution monitoring: Recent developments. Biosensors, 14(3), 143.

https://doi.org/10.3390/bios14030143

Rajput, V. D., Singh, A., Ghazaryan, K., Alexiou, A., & Said, A.-T. (2024). Harnessing NanoOmics and Nanozymes for Sustainable Agriculture. IGI Global.

Rodrigues, A. P., Pereira, M. M., Campos, A., Da Silva Quaresma, T. L., Pova, R., Vieira, T. C., Diaz, R. A., Moreira, M., Araripe, D., Monte, C. D., & Machado, W. (2023). Bioavailability assessment of metals from the coastal sediments of tropical estuaries based on acid-volatile sulfide and simultaneously extracted metals. Coasts, 3(4), 313-327.

https://doi.org/10.3390/coasts3040019

Samanta, P., Let, S., Mandal, W., Dutta, S., & Ghosh, S. K. (2020). Luminescent metal–organic frameworks (LMOFs) as potential probes for the recognition of cationic water pollutants. Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers, 7(9), 1801-1821.

https://doi.org/10.1039/d0qi00167h

Sharma, M., Kant, R., Sharma, A. K., & Sharma, A. K. (2024). Exploring the impact of heavy metals toxicity in the aquatic ecosystem. International Journal of Energy and Water Resources, 9(1), 267-280.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s42108-024-00284-1

Singh, H., Pandey, R., Singh, S. K., & Shukla, D. N. (2017). Assessment of heavy metal contamination in the sediment of the river Ghaghara, a major tributary of the river Ganga in northern India. Applied Water Science, 7(7), 4133-4149.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-017-0572-y

Singh, V., Singh, N., Rai, S. N., Kumar, A., Singh, A. K., Singh, M. P., Sahoo, A., Shekhar, S., Vamanu, E., & Mishra, V. (2023). Heavy metal contamination in the aquatic ecosystem: Toxicity and its remediation using eco-friendly approaches. Toxics, 11(2), 147.

https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11020147

Talukder, P., Dutta, D., Ghosh, E., Bose, I., Bhattacharjee, S., Mishra, M., & Sinha, B. (2024). Detection of metallic pollutants in waste water using bio sensors and its remediation. Environmental Quality Management, 34(1).

https://doi.org/10.1002/tqem.22224

Xiang, H., Cai, Q., Li, Y., Zhang, Z., Cao, L., Li, K., & Yang, H. (2020). Sensors applied for the detection of pesticides and heavy metals in freshwaters. Journal of Sensors, 2020, 1-22.

https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8503491

Yang, Y., Li, Y., Huang, C., Chen, F., Chen, C., Zhang, H., Deng, W., & Ye, F. (2023). Anthropogenic influences on the sources and distribution of organic carbon, black carbon, and heavy metals in Daya Bay's surface sediments. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 196, 115571.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115571

Yang, Y., Meng, Y., Liu, S., Wei, L., & Huang, Q. (2023). Insights into organophosphate esters (OPEs) in aquatic ecosystems: Occurrence, environmental behavior, and ecological risk. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 54(8), 641-675.

https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2023.2266311

Zhang, J., Li, X., Guo, L., Deng, Z., Wang, D., & Liu, L. (2021). Assessment of heavy metal pollution and water quality characteristics of the reservoir control reaches in the middle Han river, China. Science of The Total Environment, 799, 149472.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149472

Zhang, Y., Liu, Y., Niu, Z., & Jin, S. (2017). Ecological risk assessment of toxic organic pollutant and heavy metals in water and sediment from a landscape lake in Tianjin city, China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 24(13), 12301-12311.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8906-8