Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Cell-based electrochemical biosensors for water quality assessment

  • Review
  • Published:
Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

During recent decades, extensive industrialisation and farming associated with improper waste management policies have led to the release of a wide range of toxic compounds into aquatic ecosystems, causing a rapid decrease of world freshwater resources and thus requiring urgent implementation of suitable legislation to define water remediation and protection strategies. In Europe, the Water Framework Directive aims to restore good qualitative and quantitative status to all water bodies by 2015. To achieve that, extensive monitoring programmes will be required, calling for rapid, reliable and cost-effective analytical methods for monitoring and toxicological impact assessment of water pollutants. In this context, whole cell biosensors appear as excellent alternatives to or techniques complementary to conventional chemical methods. Cells are easy to cultivate and manipulate, host many enzymes able to catalyse a wide range of biological reactions and can be coupled to various types of transducers. In addition, they are able to provide information about the bioavailability and the toxicity of the pollutants towards eukaryotic or prokaryotic cells. In this article, we present an overview of the use of whole cells, mainly bacteria, yeasts and algae, as sensing elements in electrochemical biosensors with respect to their practical applications in water quality monitoring, with particular emphasis on new trends and future perspectives. In contrast to optical detection, electrochemical transduction is not sensitive to light, can be used for analysis of turbid samples and does not require labelling. In some cases, it is also possible to achieve higher selectivities, even without cell modification, by operating at specific potentials where interferences are limited.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

AChE:

acetylcholinesterase

AP:

alkaline phosphatase

BDD:

boron-doped diamond

BOD:

biochemical oxygen demand

BOD5 :

five-day biochemical oxygen demand

CHO:

Chinese hamster ovary

CNT:

carbon nanotube

ECIS:

electric cell-substrate impedance sensing

FED:

field-effect device

GA:

glutaraldehyde

IDA:

interdigitated electrode array

ISE:

ion-selective electrode

ISFET:

ion-sensitive field-effect transistor

LAPS:

light-addressable potentiometric sensor

LOD:

limit of detection

OP:

organophosphate pesticide

OPH:

organophosphate hydrolase

PAP:

p-aminophenol

PAPG:

p-aminophenyl β-d-galactopyranoside

PNP:

p-nitrophenol

PNPP:

p-nitrophenylphosphate

PVA:

poly(vinyl alcohol)

RT-CES:

real-time cell electronic sensing

SPE:

screen-printed electrode

TCE:

trichloroethylene

TOD:

toluene dioxygenase

References

  1. Allan IJ, Vrana B, Greenwood R, Mills GA, Roig B, Gonzalez C (2006) Talanta 69:302–322

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Farre M, Barcelo D (2003) Trends Anal Chem 22:200–310

    Google Scholar 

  3. Gonzales C, Greenwood R, Quevauviller P (2009) Rapid chemical and biological techniques for water monitoring. Wiley, Chichester

    Google Scholar 

  4. Farre M, Barcelo D (2009) In: Barcelo D, Hansen PD (eds) Handbook of environmental chemistry, Vol. 5J. Biosensors for environmental monitoring of aquatic systems. Springer, Berlin

  5. Rodriguez-Mozaz S, Lopez de Alda M, Marco MP, Barcelo D (2005) Talanta 65:291–297

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Rogers KR (2006) Anal Chim Acta 568:222–231

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Grieshaber D, MacKenzie R, Vörös J, Reimhult E (2008) Sensors 8:1400–1458

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. D’Souza SF (2001) Biosens Bioelectron 16:337–353

    Google Scholar 

  9. Lei Y, Chen W, Mulchandani A (2006) Anal Chim Acta 568:200–210

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Baronian KHR (2004) Biosens Bioelectron 19:953–962

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Mao C, Liu A, Cao B (2009) Angew Chem Int Ed 48:6790–6810

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Daunert S, Barrett G, Feliciano JS, Shetty RS, Shrestha S, Smith-Spencer W (2000) Chem Rev 100:2705–2738

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Girotti S, Ferri EN, Fumo MG, Maiolini E (2008) Anal Chim Acta 608:2–29

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Van der Meer JR, Belkin S (2010) Nat Rev 8:511–522

    Google Scholar 

  15. Palchetti I, Mascini M (2008) Analyst 133:846–854

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Rodriguez-Mozaz S, Marco MP, Lopez de Alda MJ, Barcelo D (2004) Anal Bioanal Chem 378:588–598

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Verma N, Singh M (2005) Biometals 18:121–129

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Badihi-Mossberg M, Buchner V, Rishpon J (2007) Electroanalysis 19:2015–2028

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Ino K, Kitagawa Y, Watanabe T, Shiku H, Koide M, Itayama T, Yasukawa T, Matsue T (2009) Electrophoresis 30:3406–3412

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Kumar S, Kundu S, Pakshirajan K, Dasu VV (2008) Appl Biochem Biotechnol 151:653–664

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Jia J, Tang M, Chen X, Qi L, Dong S (2003) Biosens Bioelectron 18:1023–1029

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Nakamura H, Suzuki K, Ishikuro H, Kinoshita S, Koizumi R, Okuma S, Gotoh M, Karube I (2007) Talanta 72:210–216

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Campanella L, Cubbada F, Sammartino MP, Saoncella A (2000) Water Res 35:69–76

    Google Scholar 

  24. Shitanda I, Takada K, Sakai Y, Tatsuma T (2005) Anal Chim Acta 530:191–197

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Shitanda I, Takamatsu S, Watanabe K, Itagaki M (2009) Electrochim Acta 54:4933–4936

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Tatsuma T, Yoshida Y, Shitanda I, Notsu H (2009) Analyst 134:223–225

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Chouteau C, Dzyadevych S, Durrieu C, Chovelon JM (2005) Biosens Bioelectron 21:273–281

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Guedri H, Durrieu C (2008) Microchim Acta 163:179–184

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Chong KF, Loh KP, Ang K, Ting YP (2008) Analyst 133:739–743

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Banik RM, Mayank, Prakash R, Upadhyay SN (2008) Sens Actuators B 131:295–300

    Google Scholar 

  31. Timur S, Pazarlioglu N, Pilloton R, Telefoncu A (2003) Talanta 61:87–93

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Mulchandani P, Hangarter CM, Lei Y, Chen W, Mulchandani A (2005) Biosens Bioelectron 21:523–527

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Lei Y, Mulchandani P, Chen W, Wang J, Mulchandani A (2004) Electroanalysis 16:2030–2034

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Lei Y, Mulchandani P, Chen W, Wang J, Mulchandani A (2003) Electroanalysis 15:1160–1164

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Lanyon YH, Tothill IE, Mascini M (2006) Anal Lett 39:669–1681

    Google Scholar 

  36. Han TS, Sasaki S, Yano K, Ikebukuro K, Atsushi K, Nagamune T, Karube I (2002) Talanta 57:271–276

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Hnaien M, Lagarde F, Bausells J, Errachid A, Jaffrezic-Renault N (2011) Anal Bioanal Chem. doi:10.1007/s002160104336-x

  38. Lehmann M, Riedel K, Adler K, Kunze G (2000) Biosens Bioelectron 15:211–219

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Paitan Y, Biran I, Shechter N, Biran D, Rishpon J, Ron EZ (2004) Anal Biochem 335:175–183

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Popovtzer R, Neufeld T, Biran D, Ron EZ, Rishpon J, Shacham-Diamand Y (2005) Nano Lett 5:1023–1027

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Popovtzer R, Neufeld T, Ron EZ, Rishpon J, Shacham-Diamand Y (2006) Sens Actuators B 19:664–672

    Google Scholar 

  42. Neufeld T, Biran D, Popovtzer R, Erez T, Ron EZ, Rishpon J (2006) Anal Chem 78:4952–4956

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Tag K, Riedel K, Bauer HJ, Hanke G, Baronian KHR, Kunze G (2007) Sens Actuators B 122:403–409

    Google Scholar 

  44. Ben-Yoav H, Biran A, Pedahzur R, Belkin S, Buchinger S, Reifferscheid G, Shacham-Diamand Y (2009) Electrochim Acta 54:6113–6118

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Mulchandani P, Chen W, Mulchandani A, Wang J, Chen L (2001) Biosens Bioelectron 16:433–437

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Shimadzu M, Mulchandani A, Chen W (2001) Biotechnol Bioeng 76:318–324

    Google Scholar 

  47. Lei Y, Mulchandani P, Chen W, Mulchandani A (2005) J Agric Food Chem 53:524–527

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Yu D, Volponi J, Chhabra S, Brinker CJ, Mulchandani A, Singh AK (2005) Biosens Bioelectron 20:1433–1437

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Lei Y, Mulchandani P, Wang J, Chen W, Mulchandani A (2005) Environ Sci Technol 39:8853–8857

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Lei Y, Mulchandani P, Chen W, Mulchandani A (2006) Sensors 6:466–472

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Lei Y, Mulchandani P, Chen W, Mulchandani A (2007) Appl Biochem Biotechnol 136:243–250

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. D’Souza SF (2001) Appl Biochem Biotechnol 96:225–238

    Google Scholar 

  53. Chouteau C, Dzyadevych S, Chovelon JM, Durrieu C (2004) Biosens Bioelectron 19:1089–1096

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Akyilmaz E, Dinçkaya E (2005) Biosens Bioelectron 20:1263–1269

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Kirgoz UA, Timur S, Odaci D, Perez B, Alegret S, Merkoai A (2007) Electroanalysis 19:893–898

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Prasad SK, Arun AB, Rekha PD, Young CC, Chang JL, Zen JM (2009) Electroanalysis 21:1646–1650

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Odaci D, Kiralp Kayahan S, Timur S, Toppare L (2008) Electrochim Acta 53:4104–4108

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Tuncagil S, Odaci D, Varis S, Timur S, Toppare L (2009) Bioelectrochemistry 76:169–174

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Kılınç Alpat S, Alpat Ş, Kutlu B, Özbayrak Ö, Baha Büyükışık H (2007) Sens Actuators B 128:273–278

    Google Scholar 

  60. Alpat Ş, Kılınç Alpat S, Hilal Çadirci B, Yaşa İ, Telefoncu A (2008) Sens Actuators B 134:175–181

    Google Scholar 

  61. Roach PCJ, Ramsden DK, Hughes J, Williams P (2003) Biosens Bioelectron 19:73–78

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Okochi M, Koji M, Miyata M, Shinozaki Y, Haraguchi S, Fujisawa M, Kaneko M, Masukata T, Matsunaga T (2004) Biotechnol Bioeng 87:905–911

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Dhall P, Kumar A, Joshi A, Saxsena TK, Manoharan A, Makhijani SD, Kumar R (2008) Sens Actuators B 133:478–483

    Google Scholar 

  64. Liu L, Shang L, Guo S, Li D, Liu C, Qi L, Dong S (2009) Biosens Bioelectron 25:523–526

    Google Scholar 

  65. Ionescu RE, Abu-Rabeah K, Cosnier S, Durrieu C, Chovelon JM, Marks RS (2006) Electroanalysis 18:1041–1046

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  66. Odaci D, Timur S, Telefoncu A (2008) Sens Actuators B 134:89–94

    Google Scholar 

  67. Odaci D, Timur S, Telefoncu A (2009) Bioelectrochemistry 75:77–82

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Raudviki K, Tutt M, Talpsep E, Kikas T (2008) Oil Shale 25:376–386

    Google Scholar 

  69. Gooding JJ (2005) Electrochim Acta 50:3049–3060

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  70. Zhang X, Guo Q, Cui D (2009) Sensors 9:1033–1053

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  71. Timur S, Anik U, Odaci D, Gorton L (2007) Electrochem Commun 9:1810–1815

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  72. Luong JHT, Maleb KB, Glennon JD (2009) Analyst 134:1965–1979

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  73. Spegel C, Heiskanen A, Skjolding LHD, Emneus J (2008) Electroanalysis 20:680–702

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  74. Tudorache M, Bala C (2007) Anal Bioanal Chem 388:565–578

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  75. Alonso-Lomillo MA, Domínguez-Renedo O, Arcos-Martínez MJ (2010) Talanta 82:1629–1636

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  76. Varshney M, Li Y (2009) Biosens Bioelectron 24:2951–2960

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  77. Min J, Baeumner AJ (2004) Electroanalysis 16:724–729

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  78. Nakamura H (2010) Anal Methods 2:430–444

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  79. Liu J, Mattiasson B (2002) Water Res 36:3786–3802

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  80. Chan C, Lehmann M, Chan K, Chan P, Chan C, Gruendig B, Kunze G, Renneberg R (2000) Biosens Bioelectron 15:343–353

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  81. Chen H, Ye T, Qiu B, Chen G, Chen X (2008) Anal Chim Acta 612:75–82

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  82. Liu L, Shang L, Liu C, Liu C, Zhang B, Dong S (2010) Talanta 81:1170–1175

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  83. Skladal P, Morozova NO, Reshetilov AN (2002) Biosens Bioelectron 17:867–873

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  84. Taranova LA, Semenchuk I, Manolov T, Iliasov P, Reshetilov A (2002) Biosens Bioelectron 17:635–640

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  85. Mann TS, Mikkelsen SR (2008) Anal Chem 80:843–848

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  86. Evans MR, Jordinson GM, Rawson DM, Regerson JG (1998) Pest Sci 54:447–452

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  87. Farre M, Pasini O, Alonso MC, Castillo M, Barcelo D (2001) Anal Chim Acta 426:155–165

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  88. Farre M, Gonçalves C, Lacorte S, Barcelo D, Alpendurada MF (2002) Anal Bioanal Chem 373:696–703

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  89. Wang H, Wang XJ, Zhao JF, Chen L (2008) Chin Chem Lett 19:211–214

    Google Scholar 

  90. Daniel M, Sharpe A, Driver J, Knight AW, Keenan PO, Walmsley RM, Robinson A, Zhang T, Rawson D (2004) J Environ Monit 6:855–865

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  91. Freitas dos Santos L, Defrenne L, Krebs-Brown A (2002) Anal Chim Acta 456:41–54

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  92. Liu C, Suna T, Xub X, Dong S (2009) Anal Chim Acta 641:59–63

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  93. Mulchandani A, Chen W, Mulchandani P, Wang J, Rogers KR (2001) Biosens Bioelectron 16:225–230

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  94. Bakker E, Pretsch E (2008) Trends Anal Chem 27:612–618

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  95. Bratov A, Abramova N, Ipatov A (2010) Anal Chim Acta 678:149–159

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  96. Faridbod F, Ganjali MR, Dinarvand R, Norouzi P (2008) Sensors 8:2331–2412

    Google Scholar 

  97. Tymecki L, Glab S, Koncki R (2006) Sensors 6:390–396

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  98. Gäberlein S, Spener F, Zaborosch C (2000) Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 54:652–658

    Google Scholar 

  99. Chiappini SA, Kormes DJ, Bonetto MC, Sacco N, Cortóna E (2010) Sens Actuators B 148:103–109

    Google Scholar 

  100. Wang P, Xu G, Qin L, Xu Y, Li Y, Li R (2005) Sens Actuators B 108:576–584

    Google Scholar 

  101. Lee C-S, Kim SK, Kim M (2009) Sensors 9:7111–7131

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  102. Poghossian A, Ingebrandt S, Offenhäusser A, Schöning MJ (2009) Semin Cell Dev Biol 20:41–48

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  103. Bettaieb F, Ponsonnet L, Lejeune P, Ben Ouada H, Martelet C, Bakhrouf A, Jaffrezic-Renault N, Othmane A (2007) Bioelectrochemistry 71:118–125

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  104. Castellarnau M, Zine N, Bausells J, Madrid C, Juárez A, Samitier J, Errachid A (2008) Mater Sci Eng C 28:680–685

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  105. Lorenzelli L, Margesin B, Martinoia S, Tedesco MT, Valle M (2003) Biosens Bioelectron 18:621–626

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  106. Hafner F (2000) Biosens Bioelectron 15:149–158

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  107. Eklund SE, Snider RM, Wikswo J, Baudenbacher F, Prokop A, Cliffel DE (2006) J Electroanal Chem 587:333–339

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  108. Wagner T, Molina R, Yoshinobu T, Kloock JP, Biselli M, Canzoneri M, Schnitzler T, Schöning MJ (2007) Electrochim Acta 53:305–311

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  109. Yu H, Caia H, Zhanga W, Xiaoa L, Liua Q, Wang P (2009) Biosens Bioelectron 24:1462–1468

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  110. Jaffrezic-Renault N, Dzyadevych SV (2008) Sensors 8:2569–2588

    Google Scholar 

  111. Asphahani F, Zhang M (2007) Analyst 132:835–841

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  112. Giaever I, Keese CR (1984) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 81:3761–3764

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  113. Xiao C, Luong JHT (2005) Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 206:102–112

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  114. Van der Schalie WH, James RR, Gargan TP II (2006) Biosens Bioelectron 22:18–27

    Google Scholar 

  115. Curtis TM, Widder MW, Brennan LM, Schwager SJ, van der Schalie WH, Fey J, Salazar N (2009) Lab Chip 9:2176–2183

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  116. Ehret R, Baumann W, Brischwein M, Schwinde A, Stegbauer K, Wolf B (1997) Biosens Bioelectron 12:29–41

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  117. Brischwein M, Herrmann S, Vonau W, Berthold F, Grothe H, Motrescu ER, Wolf B (2006) Lab Chip 6:819–822

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  118. Ceriotti L, Ponti J, Broggi F, Kob A, Drechsler S, Thedinga E, Colpo P, Sabbioni E, Ehret R, Rossi F (2007) Sens Actuators B 123:769–778

    Google Scholar 

  119. Solly K, Wang X, Xu X, Strulovici B, Zheng W (2004) Assay Drug Dev Technol 2:363–372

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  120. Xing JZ, Zhu L, Gabos S, Xie L (2006) Toxicol In Vitro 20:995–1004

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  121. Boyd JM, Huang L, Xie L, Moe B, Gabos S, Li X-F (2008) Anal Chim Acta 615:80–87

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  122. Huang DY, Mock M, Hagenbuch B, Chan S, Dmitrovic J, Gabos S, Kinniburgh D (2009) Environ Sci Technol 43:7803–7809

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  123. Ibrahim F, Huang B, Xing J, Gabos S (2010) Water Res 44:3252–3260

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  124. McGuinness R (2007) Curr Opin Pharmacol 7:535–540

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  125. Wolf B, Brischwein M, Baumann W, Ehret R, Kraus M (1998) Biosens Bioelectron 13:501–509

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  126. Brischwein M, Motrescu ER, Cabala E, Otto AM, Grothe H, Wolf B (2003) Lab Chip 3:234–240

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  127. Wiest J, Stadthagen T, Schmidhuber M, Brischwein M, Ressler J, Raeder U, Grothe H (2006) Anal Lett 39:1759–1771

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  128. Thedinga E, Kob A, Holst H, Keuer A, Drechsler S, Niendorf R, Baumann W, Freund I, Lehmann M, Ehret R (2007) Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 220:33–44

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  129. Buonasera K, Pezzotti G, Scognamigli V, Tibuzzi A, Giardi MT (2010) J Agric Food Chem 58:5982–5990

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Lyon, Laboratoire des Sciences Analytiques, UMR 5180, CNRS, CPE, 43 bd du 11 novembre 1918, 69622, Villeurbanne Cédex, France

    Florence Lagarde & Nicole Jaffrezic-Renault

Authors
  1. Florence Lagarde
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nicole Jaffrezic-Renault
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Florence Lagarde.

Additional information

Published in the special issue Microorganisms for Analysis with Guest Editor Gérald Thouand.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lagarde, F., Jaffrezic-Renault, N. Cell-based electrochemical biosensors for water quality assessment. Anal Bioanal Chem 400, 947–964 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-011-4816-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-011-4816-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation