Innovative Nanozymes: Emerging Platforms for Efficient Pesticide Detection

Abstract

Effective and timely detection of pesticide residues is highly crucial as these toxic chemical residues cause several effects on humans and environment. Increasing necessity towards progression of detection systems has flashed considerable curiosity in analytical sensing technologies. Substantial research advancements have been made in analytical chemistry, nanozymes, and materials chemistry, for detection of pesticides. A relatively innovative sensing strategy that has gained widespread attention is based on natural enzyme mimicking catalytic property of nanomaterials, commonly referred to as nanozyme activity. Nanozymes properties make them highly promising sensing materials for precisely determining the pesticides with low detection limits, wide linear ranges, excellent selectivity, and appreciable sensitivity. Apart from increasing the sensing behaviors, these characteristics will facilitate in designing versatile sensing platforms that integrate surface enhanced Raman scattering, colorimetric, electrochemical, and fluorescence transduction procedures. In this review, we provided a critical overview on nanozymes for pesticides detection, encompassing their material compositions, strategies for activity enhancement, output signals, and methodologies.Explicitly discussed the advances made in nanozyme-based Raman, colorimetric, electrochemical, and fluorescence sensing strategies for the substantial quantification of pesticides. Outlined the strategic advantages and detailed mechanisms for the detection of pesticides. Highlighted the working principle and salient features of various nanozyme-based sensors, to enhance the sensing efficiency. Finally, challenges and associated limitations were discussed to realize full potential of nanozyme-based optical and electrochemical sensors.