Endocrine disrupting chemicals in water and recent advances on their detection using electrochemical biosensors

Abstract

The ever increasing anthropogenic activities have been producing an undesired group of substances called endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which can pose a serious threat to the health of human beings and wildlife once they are released into natural water environments. Herein, recent advances on the use of electrochemical biosensors for the determination of EDCs especially in water are thoroughly summarized. Initially, different categories of EDCs with important guidelines are briefly introduced, followed by a simple discussion of non-electrochemical detection methods. Electrochemical techniques including theoretical background and reported studies are then evaluated as the highlight of the review. Finally, current issues, technical bottlenecks, and prospects of this field are critically discussed. This review is composed of following subsections: (i) systematical classification of common EDCs with their toxicities towards human beings and animals, (ii) water contamination events, safety guidelines, and legislations, (iii) non-electrochemical methods for detection of EDCs, (iv) electrochemical monitoring systems, (v) receptors for biorecognition, (vi) detection of EDCs using electrochemical biosensors, and (vii) recent progress, issues, and further development. This review, with a strong interdisciplinary nature, across nanotechnology, biology, material science, and electrochemistry, can offer comprehensive academic assistance for future studies on the detection of EDCs using electrochemical biosensors.