Advancements in plant-based materials for sustainable biomedical applications

Abstract

Biosensing technologies play a critical role across the healthcare, environmental monitoring, and food safety sectors. The in vivo sensing of biomolecules is challenging due to the non-biocompatibility of nano-microelectrodes. In this regard, lignocellulosic materials will have a significant impact on sensors owing to their outstanding properties. Although lignocellulose lacks conductivity, it can be modified with other metal nanoparticles or conductive polymers to improve its conductivity. By leveraging functionally applied nanomaterials with lignocellulose, promising flexible biosensors can be developed with enhanced sensitivity, selectivity, and versatility. This integration of lignocellulosic materials with nanomaterials enables advanced biosensors with improved performance, facilitated by their high surface area-to-volume ratios and suitability for biomolecule immobilization. Lignocellulosic nanofibrils exhibit thermal stability, absorption in the ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) region, water stability, and reduced moisture sensitivity and enhance sensor performance. Lignocellulosic materials have emerged as promising substrates for the development of next-generation biosensors. This review explores the suitability of lignocellulose for biosensing applications. Here, we discuss how plant-based materials have been used for biomolecule sensing. Lignocellulose has outstanding mechanical properties, which is why it can be used as a base material and sensing electrode to fabricate brain-on-chip and organ-on-chip devices. Because it is a plant-derived material, it also exhibits microfluidic properties. A cellulose skin-substituted natural polymer shows promise as a substrate for wearable sensors.