Nanomaterials-Based Electrochemical Aptasensors for Rapid Detection of Pathogens and By-Products

The rapid and accurate detection of pathogenic bacteria and viruses is essential for controlling infectious disease outbreaks and ensuring food safety. Conventional detection methods such as microbial culture, immunoassays, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), although effective, often suffer from drawbacks including time-consuming procedures, complex operations, and limited multiplexing capabilities. In recent years, electrochemical aptasensors have emerged as a promising alternative for rapid detection of pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and by-products (toxins) due to their high sensitivity, excellent specificity, low cost, and potential for miniaturization. Aptamers can be applied as biorecognition elements of the biosensor, remarkably offering advantages such as high binding affinity, thermal stability, and ease of chemical synthesis. Meanwhile, nanomaterials which provide large surface area, superior conductivity, and modifiable surfaces are widely employed in signal amplification and sensor platform construction. This review discusses the cutting-edge innovations in electrochemical aptasensors in recent years that utilize various types of nanomaterials to accurately identify and quantify diverse types of pathogens and toxins. This review focuses on nanomaterials such as metal nanostructures, carbon nanomaterials, metal, metal oxides, and carbon nanocomposites that can synergistically enhance detection sensitivity, specificity, and operational stability. This review also highlights the promising practical application of the proposed electrochemical aptasensors in clinical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and food safety.