Recent Progress in Nanomaterials-Amplified Electrochemical Biosensors for Pathogen Sensing Publisher



Zhang Z ; Deng L ; Babar Q ; Li Y ; Ye J ; Karaman O ; Sefidan ARM ; Jiang J ; Karimimaleh H
Source: Inorganic Chemistry Communications Published:2026

Abstract

Pathogen monitoring is critical for public health, food safety, and environmental protection. While conventional methods such as culture, PCR, and ELISA remain reliable, their application is often constrained by prolonged turnaround times, high cost, and complex instrumentation. Electrochemical biosensors, particularly those enhanced by nanomaterials, have emerged as compelling alternatives by offering rapid, sensitive, and field-deployable detection. This review systematically examines recent advances in nanomaterial-engineered electrochemical biosensors for pathogen detection, with an emphasis on quantitative performance enhancements. We evaluate how functional nanomaterials including metal nanoparticles, carbon nanostructures, quantum dots, MXenes, and metal–organic frameworks—amplify analytical signals and improve bioreceptor immobilization. Representative platforms now can achieve detection limits as low as 1 cfu/mL or sub-femtomolar nucleic acid concentrations. Furthermore, we assess the operational improvements in immunosensors, genosensors, aptasensors, and phage-based systems, noting that nanomaterial incorporation routinely enhances sensitivity by 10–1000-fold compared to unmodified electrodes. The review provides a critical analysis across different nanomaterial classes and identifies key trends driving the transition of these platforms from laboratory innovation to practical application in complex sample matrices. © 2026 Elsevier B.V. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.