Advancements of plant-based materials for Sustainable Health Applications

Abstract

Biosensing technologies play a critical role in various fields, including healthcare, environmental monitoring, and food safety. In-vivo sensing of biomolecules is challenging due to the non-biocompatibility of nano or microelectrodes. In this regard, lignocellulose materials will have a great impact on sensors owing to their outstanding properties. Although this material does not have conductivity, it must be fabricated with other metal nanoparticles or conductive polymers to improve its conductivity. By leveraging functionally applied nanomaterials with lignocellulose, a promising flexible biosensor can be developed to enhance sensitivity, selectivity, and versatility. This integration of lignocellulosic materials with nanomaterials offers advanced biosensors with improved performance characteristics, facilitated by their high surface area-to-volume ratio, which is also suitable for the immobilization of biomolecules. Lignocellulosic nanofibrils exhibit thermal stability, UV absorption, and water stability, reduce moisture sensitivity, and enhance the sensor performance. Lignocellulosic materials have emerged as promising substrates for developing 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 strong mechanical strength, which is why it can be used as a base material as well as a 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.