Electrochemical point-of-care devices for monitoring waterborne pathogens: Protozoa, bacteria, and viruses – An overview

ABSTRACT

Water is considered a natural resource of high importance to the society whose availability and quality are in great demand. The water that reaches homes may contain different species, among them microorganisms like bacteria, protozoa and viruses that can contaminate and compromise the health and safety of the population. Thus, frequent water analysis would allow the monitoring of potentially harmful and/or toxic species that can be found in water resources. The application of point-of-care devices (POCs) for monitoring water ensures faster on-site analysis. The use of electrochemistry as a detection technique for a specific analyte presents itself as a promising way, being able to serve different targets reporting fast, selective and reproducible responses. After the COVID-19 outbreak in the world, the necessity of the development of such devices that may monitor species quickly, even at low concentrations was evidenced. The conventional methods of water analysis are still the most widely employed, despite the existence of already well-established modes of detection of target species by electrochemical techniques allowing on-site detection with POCs. In the quest to elucidate such issues, this review aims to show some biosensors devices developed for the detection of bacteria, protozoa, and viruses, attempting to understand what would still be needed for the large-scale application of these devices in water monitoring, identifying the innovative features and shortcomings of POCs. © 2022 The Authors