Biosensors for the monitoring of harmful algal blooms

- Harmful algal blooms (HABs) cause environmental damage and healthcare issues.
- Current HAB monitoring involves laborious laboratory-based analysis.
- Biosensors could rapidly and continuously measure algal and toxin levels.
- Recently developed biosensors may address HAB-associated monitoring challenges.

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a major global concern due to their propensity to cause environmental damage, healthcare issues and economic losses. In particular, the presence of toxic phytoplankton is a cause for concern. Current HAB monitoring programs often involve laborious laboratory-based analysis at a high cost and with long turnaround times. The latter also hampers the potential to develop accurate and reliable models that can predict HAB occurrence. However, a promising solution for this issue may be in the form of remotely deployed biosensors, which can rapidly and continuously measure algal and toxin levels at the point-of-need (PON), at a low cost. This review summarises the issues HABs present, how they are difficult to monitor and recently developed biosensors that may improve HAB-monitoring challenges.

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