Biosensors for environmental diagnostics : [this book originated from the 5th European Workshop on Biosensors for Environmental Monitoring and Stability of Biosensors

This book reflects the current knowledge and trends in the field of biosensors for environmental monitoring. Biosensors combine the power of microelectronics with the selectivity and sensitivity of biological components to detect individual substances or groups of substances in the environment. Biosensors can also be used for recognizing biological effects such as genotoxicity, immunotoxicity and endocrine responses. For this purpose, components of biological origin such as microorganisms, enzymes, receptors or specific nucleic acid sequences are applied for the recognition and combined with a transducer system to provide toxicologic or pharmacologic data within seconds. This approach is expected not only to provide a significant contribution to measurement technology but also a basis for competent political decisions. Biosensors combine the power of microelectronics with the selectivity and sensitivity of biological components such as whole cells, organelles or biomolecules, e.g. antibodies, receptors, enzymes and nucleic acids. They are used to detect individual substances or groups of substances in the environment, such as industrial emissions that originate, for instance, from the textile, cellulose and pharmceutical industry as well as from agricultural activities. The biosensor approach is expected not only to provide a significant contribution to measurement technology but also a basis for competent political decisions. Up to now disturbances in lakes and rivers are detected more or less by chance. Essentially, only substances that can be assayed by traditional physico-chemical techniques are found. However, the pollution peak has usually already passed by the time the results become known and acquisition of evidence for the identification of the responsible party is hardly possible after the event. Therefore fast and continuous measurement systems such as biosensors are required to provide inexpensive and cost effective event-related sampling of water thus providing for the preservation of evidence. Biosensors can detect biological effects such as genotoxicity, immunotoxicity and endocrine responses. The sequence of these signals and especially the peak values provide valuable indicators for water protection and facilitate the elaboration of new strategies and concepts within water management. Of major importance is the knowledge of distribution of warning signals within space and time from water ecosystems. Only then can the'health status'of water be recognized sufficiently early. Content: Front Matter....Pages 1-9 Resonant Energy Transfer Detection for Low Volume Immunoassay in Environmental Applications....Pages 11-27 Screen-Printed Sensors and Biosensors for Environmental Applications....Pages 28-44 A Manufacturing Technology for Biosensing....Pages 45-51 Development of an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for the Determination of Irgarol 1051....Pages 52-63 Immunosensor Systems with Renewable Sensing Surfaces....Pages 64-89 Catalytic and Affinity Amperometric Biosensors for Phenols, Phosphates, and Atrazine: How Transduction Can Improve Performance....Pages 90-107 A Master Analytical Protocol for Determining a Broad Spectrum of Organic Pollutants in Industrial Effluents....Pages 108-128 Measurement of Priority Metabolites Using Integrated Optoelectronic Biosensors Derived from Antibody and Synthetic Receptor Libraries....Pages 129-146 River Analyser — Multiresidue Immunoanalytical Monitoring Tools....Pages 147-160 Strategies for Recombinant Antibody Library Synthesis: An Advanced Source for Immunoglobulins in Environmental Analysis....Pages 161-178 Characterization of a Monoclonal Antibody and its Fab Fragment Against Diphenylurea Hapten with BIA....Pages 179-194 Endocrine Disruptors: Monitoring of Effects....Pages 195-214 Recombinant Escherichia Coli Cells as Biodetector System for Genotoxins....Pages 215-232 Potential and Capabilities of Biosensors for the Assessment of Environmental Pollutants....Pages 233-252 Vitellogenin — A Biomarker for Endocrine Disruptors....Pages 253-261 How Could a Concerted Action Guide Technological Developments in the Field of Biosensors?....Pages 262-271 Back Matter....Pages 272-280