Nano-engineered fiber-based sensing frontiers: Revolutionizing on-site pesticide detection for global food-environment nexus challenges

Abstract

The escalating global demand for food security and environmental safety has heightened the need for rapid, on-site pesticide residue detection, spurring advancements in portable sensing technologies. The emerging of cellulosic paper-based analytical method has enabled economical on-site pesticide residue detection in agricultural products through portable, affordable, disposable platforms with simplified operational protocols for clinical, environmental, and food safety applications. Currently, extensive research has explored the use of diverse fiber types, including both cellulosic (native, modified, and nanocellulose) and non-cellulosic variants (silica-based, aramid nanofibers, polyamide/polyimide, and carbon fibers), which are processed into substrates such as paper, membranes, or cloth for pesticide monitoring applications. The superior performance of fiber-based pesticide sensors stems from unique structural attributes, diverse material compositions, and advanced functionalization strategies encompassing chemical modifications, composite integration (aptamers, molecularly imprinted polymers, porous coordination polymers, noble metal nanoparticles, quantum dot, etc) and nanostructural designs, demonstrating detection limits ranging from μM to fM, broad dynamic ranges, high selectivity, and robust stability. This review systematically consolidates the latest advance during 2019–2024 in various fiber-based analytical platforms for pesticide sensing, emphasizing their design, fabrication, and application through micro-nanoscale modification strategies. Challenges related to sample pretreatment, matrix interference, and field applicability are addressed, with a particular emphasis on balancing laboratory-grade accuracy with point-of-care practicality.