Emerging CRISPR Technologies for Environmental Protection: From Genetic Engineering and Biosensing to Environmental Deployment

Abstract Since its discovery, Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) has revolutionized biomedical science and engineering with its ability to recognize and edit gene sequences with high specificity and precision. Despite the growing interest in using these capabilities to address environmental and sustainability challenges, the broader potential of CRISPR in environmental systems remains unexplored relative to its biomedical applications. Here, we provide a critical perspective on the emerging use of CRISPR for pollution management, ecological conservation, and environmental monitoring. Rather than viewing CRISPR solely as a gene-editing or biosensing technology, we consider both capabilities together to examine how advances in CRISPR engineering can translate into practical environmental solutions. We highlight the fundamental principles behind CRISPR-based editing and sensing and evaluate the challenges that constrain their transition from proof-of-concept experiments to field deployment, including off-target effects, delivery methods, ecological risks, and low sensitivity. Addressing these hurdles requires a multifaceted approach that integrates emerging technologies such as reversible CRISPR technology, amplification and cascade reactions, and machine learning, with strict regulatory oversight and rigorous risk assessments. This perspective identifies critical strengths, weaknesses, and research priorities for advancing CRISPR from laboratory technology toward robust tools for environmental applications.