Nanomaterials and Cross-Cutting Technologies for Fostering Smart Electrochemical Biosensors in the Detection of Chemical Warfare Agents

Abstract

The smart, rapid, and customizable detection of chemical warfare agents is a huge issue for taking the proper countermeasures in a timely fashion. The printing techniques have established the main pillar to develop miniaturized electrochemical biosensors for onsite and fast detection of nerve and mustard agents, allowing for a lab on a chip in the chemical warfare agent sector. In the fast growth of novel technologies, the combination of miniaturized electrochemical biosensors with flexible electronics allowed for the delivery of useful wearable sensors capable of fast detection of chemical warfare agents. The wearable microneedle sensor array for minimally invasive continuous electrochemical detection of organophosphorus nerve agents, as well as the wearable paper-based origami functionalized with nanomaterials for mustard agents in the gas phase, represent two examples of the forefront devices developed in the chemical warfare agent detection field. This review will highlight the most promising electrochemical biosensors developed by exploiting nanomaterials and cross-cutting technologies for the fabrication of smart and sensitive electrochemical biosensors for the detection of chemical warfare agents.

Electrochemical Sensors for the Detection of Chemical Warfare Agents: Strategy and Exemples

“…The customization of electrochemical sensors with suitable recognition elements and transducers has created an opportunity to develop diverse types of sensors for various applications, belonging to numerous areas, including the medical, pharmaceutical, environmental, and defence ones [15]. The defence sector requires instruments that can identify CWAs fast, using simple procedures, so that suitable countermeasures may be taken in a timely manner.…”

Ditopic Chemodosimeter for Selective Detection of Nerve Agent Tabun Simulant DCNP

“…Their selective detection is of paramount importance for armed forces and first responders in order to select the correct tools for medical countermeasures on exposure to them. [1] Though, a variety of detection systems based on electrochemistry, [2] surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices, [3] micro-cantilevers, [4] photonic crystals, [5] ion mobility spectrometry, [6] enzymatic assay, [7] etc have been developed, they suffered from limitations including non portability, operational complexity, difficulty in real time monitoring, poor selectivity and sensitivity, etc.Owing to these reasons, research on the development of optical chemical sensors, measuring the changes in their optical properties (either fluorescence or color) by virtue of their interaction with nerve agents or their simulants, gained momentum as these were cheap, easy to operate, fast and portable. [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] Among the chromo-fluorogenic molecular sensing probes, the supramolecular sensors, involving non-covalent interactions with analyte undergo multiple interactions (multitopic approach) with the analyte leading to selective detection.…”

Ultrathin WO3 Nanosheets/Pd with Strong Metal–Support Interactions for Highly Sensitive and Selective Detection of Mustard-Gas Simulants

“…In addition, the possible risks and threats caused by the storage, transportation, and destruction of the existing sulfur mustard would nonetheless persist due to its characteristics of being volatile and highly diffusible and the lack of an antidote. , To avoid or reduce the potential risk to public safety, developing a low-cost, real-time, and high-sensitivity gas sensor to establish an early warning system is a prerequisite. Given this, various sensors, such as biosensors, fluorescent chemosensors, chemiresistive gas sensors based on nanostructured metal oxides, etc., were suggested for sulfur mustard detection and made great progress. In comparison, metal oxide semiconductor (MOS)-based chemiresistive gas sensors are attractive attention due to their merits of simple preparation, low cost, convenient operation, and miniaturization capability. , In addition, the real-time response and signal transduction properties endow them with prospects to build a sensor network for detection and warning of CWA threats toward a timely countermeasure action.…”