Pub Date : 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2025.118591
Yifan Zhang, Huiqi Zhang, Linqi Shi
Recent years have witnessed tremendous efforts devoted to addressing some inherent defects associated with the traditional molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) such as low molecular imprinting efficiency and heterogeneous binding sites as well as challenging issues of imprinting large templates (e.g., proteins, cells, viruses), which have revolutionized the molecular imprinting field and paved the way for the real-world use of MIPs in various bioanalytical and biomedical applications. In this article, we present a comprehensive overview of the progress made in the development of advanced MIPs with high imprinting efficiency and surface-exposed easily accessible homogeneous binding sites for both small and large templates via several surface template-anchoring methods including molecular imprinting with template anchoring onto sacrificial substrate strategy, controlled surface imprinting with template-anchoring strategy, and solid-phase imprinting strategy. The pros and cons of each synthetic strategy are discussed and the present challenges and future perspectives in this field are also highlighted.
{"title":"Progress in the preparation of advanced molecularly imprinted polymers via surface template-anchoring methods","authors":"Yifan Zhang, Huiqi Zhang, Linqi Shi","doi":"10.1016/j.trac.2025.118591","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.trac.2025.118591","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recent years have witnessed tremendous efforts devoted to addressing some inherent defects associated with the traditional molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) such as low molecular imprinting efficiency and heterogeneous binding sites as well as challenging issues of imprinting large templates (e.g., proteins, cells, viruses), which have revolutionized the molecular imprinting field and paved the way for the real-world use of MIPs in various bioanalytical and biomedical applications. In this article, we present a comprehensive overview of the progress made in the development of advanced MIPs with high imprinting efficiency and surface-exposed easily accessible homogeneous binding sites for both small and large templates via several surface template-anchoring methods including molecular imprinting with template anchoring onto sacrificial substrate strategy, controlled surface imprinting with template-anchoring strategy, and solid-phase imprinting strategy. The pros and cons of each synthetic strategy are discussed and the present challenges and future perspectives in this field are also highlighted.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":439,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Analytical Chemistry","volume":"195 ","pages":"Article 118591"},"PeriodicalIF":12.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145747993","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2025.118592
Qinyao Lei , Yuanyuan Zou , Jiasheng Yan , Jie Cheng , Jinhong Guo , Diangeng Li
In recent years, biosensing technologies have gained increasing attention for their roles in health monitoring and disease diagnosis. However, challenges such as complex background noise and signal analysis limit their broader application. Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly machine learning (ML), shows strong promise to address these issues. This review overviews widely used traditional ML algorithms and deep learning models in biosensing, summarizing advances in neural network architectures and highlighting techniques such as data augmentation, fusion, and transfer learning that support model optimization for biosensing tasks. We further examine AI applications in electrochemical, colorimetric, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), and fluorescence sensing, focusing on recent progress in health monitoring, disease diagnosis, short-term glucose prediction, and virtual fluorescence staining. Finally, we discuss the challenges of integrating ML into biosensing and offer perspectives on potential solutions, aiming to provide valuable guidance for the future development of AI-driven biosensing technologies.
{"title":"Advances and challenges in the application of artificial intelligence to medical biosensing technology: A review","authors":"Qinyao Lei , Yuanyuan Zou , Jiasheng Yan , Jie Cheng , Jinhong Guo , Diangeng Li","doi":"10.1016/j.trac.2025.118592","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.trac.2025.118592","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, biosensing technologies have gained increasing attention for their roles in health monitoring and disease diagnosis. However, challenges such as complex background noise and signal analysis limit their broader application. Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly machine learning (ML), shows strong promise to address these issues. This review overviews widely used traditional ML algorithms and deep learning models in biosensing, summarizing advances in neural network architectures and highlighting techniques such as data augmentation, fusion, and transfer learning that support model optimization for biosensing tasks. We further examine AI applications in electrochemical, colorimetric, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), and fluorescence sensing, focusing on recent progress in health monitoring, disease diagnosis, short-term glucose prediction, and virtual fluorescence staining. Finally, we discuss the challenges of integrating ML into biosensing and offer perspectives on potential solutions, aiming to provide valuable guidance for the future development of AI-driven biosensing technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":439,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Analytical Chemistry","volume":"195 ","pages":"Article 118592"},"PeriodicalIF":12.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145691890","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2025.118589
Gobinath Chandrakasan , Siwatt Pongpiachan , Gabriel Marcus , Genaro Martin Soto Zarazua
This review highlights recent advances in synchrotron radiation (SR) based analytical techniques for investigating the occurrence, transformation, environmental fate of organic contaminants (OC). SR-FTIR achieves <10μm spatial resolution for molecular speciation in the mid-IR range (4000-400 cm−1); XAS covers 4–35 keV, revealing elemental oxidation states and coordination environments; XRF microscopy detects trace elements down to ppm levels with spatial resolutions of a few tens of micrometers; STXM-NEXAFS enables sub-micron (≈50nm) analysis of light elements (C, N, O); and X-ray tomography offers non-destructive 3D structural imaging. This review shows multi-scale environmental analysis, demonstrating how combining spectroscopic, imaging approaches enables precise tracking of contaminants-microplastics, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals within complex matrices (soil, sediments, water, and air) with high spatial resolution, chemical specificity, and sensitivity. This cross-disciplinary perspective serves as a practical guide for environmental scientists seeking to fully the analytical capabilities of synchrotron facilities.
{"title":"Recent advances in synchrotron-based spectroscopy for organic contaminant analysis","authors":"Gobinath Chandrakasan , Siwatt Pongpiachan , Gabriel Marcus , Genaro Martin Soto Zarazua","doi":"10.1016/j.trac.2025.118589","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.trac.2025.118589","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This review highlights recent advances in synchrotron radiation (SR) based analytical techniques for investigating the occurrence, transformation, environmental fate of organic contaminants (OC). SR-FTIR achieves <10μm spatial resolution for molecular speciation in the mid-IR range (4000-400 cm<sup>−1</sup>); XAS covers 4–35 keV, revealing elemental oxidation states and coordination environments; XRF microscopy detects trace elements down to ppm levels with spatial resolutions of a few tens of micrometers; STXM-NEXAFS enables sub-micron (≈50nm) analysis of light elements (C, N, O); and X-ray tomography offers non-destructive 3D structural imaging. This review shows multi-scale environmental analysis, demonstrating how combining spectroscopic, imaging approaches enables precise tracking of contaminants-microplastics, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals within complex matrices (soil, sediments, water, and air) with high spatial resolution, chemical specificity, and sensitivity. This cross-disciplinary perspective serves as a practical guide for environmental scientists seeking to fully the analytical capabilities of synchrotron facilities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":439,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Analytical Chemistry","volume":"195 ","pages":"Article 118589"},"PeriodicalIF":12.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145691895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2025.118588
Juhwan Park , Hansol Kim , Yoon Ho Roh , Jina Ko
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanoscale lipid bilayer particles that carry diverse molecular cargos and play essential roles in intercellular communication. However, their inherent heterogeneity and diversity present major challenges for bulk assays and conventional single EV profiling, as these approaches fail to identify rare subpopulations and the full molecular diversity, respectively. Advances in single EV characterization and multiplexed EV profiling technologies have begun to address these limitations, enabling precise, high-resolution analysis of individual vesicles. This review highlights recent developments in single EV characterization methods, including optical and mechanical approaches, and discusses multiplexed profiling platforms categorized into substrate-based, droplet-based, and solution-based strategies. These platforms integrate single EV partitioning with fluorescence and molecular coding schemes to achieve high-throughput and multidimensional biomarker analysis. We also outline four future perspectives for advancing multiplexed single EV profiling and facilitating its clinical application: 1) Integration of multi-omics in single EV profiling, 2) Multi-functional single EV profiling, 3) Rare and clinically relevant EV subpopulation analysis, 4) AI-driven data interpretation in multiplexed single EV analysis.
{"title":"Advances in single extracellular vesicle characterization and multiplexed profiling","authors":"Juhwan Park , Hansol Kim , Yoon Ho Roh , Jina Ko","doi":"10.1016/j.trac.2025.118588","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.trac.2025.118588","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanoscale lipid bilayer particles that carry diverse molecular cargos and play essential roles in intercellular communication. However, their inherent heterogeneity and diversity present major challenges for bulk assays and conventional single EV profiling, as these approaches fail to identify rare subpopulations and the full molecular diversity, respectively. Advances in single EV characterization and multiplexed EV profiling technologies have begun to address these limitations, enabling precise, high-resolution analysis of individual vesicles. This review highlights recent developments in single EV characterization methods, including optical and mechanical approaches, and discusses multiplexed profiling platforms categorized into substrate-based, droplet-based, and solution-based strategies. These platforms integrate single EV partitioning with fluorescence and molecular coding schemes to achieve high-throughput and multidimensional biomarker analysis. We also outline four future perspectives for advancing multiplexed single EV profiling and facilitating its clinical application: 1) Integration of multi-omics in single EV profiling, 2) Multi-functional single EV profiling, 3) Rare and clinically relevant EV subpopulation analysis, 4) AI-driven data interpretation in multiplexed single EV analysis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":439,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Analytical Chemistry","volume":"195 ","pages":"Article 118588"},"PeriodicalIF":12.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145747987","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-29DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2025.118561
Tomasz Wasilewski , Damian Neubauer , Maria Pereira , Wojciech Kamysz , Elisabete Fernandes
The urgency for rapidly deployable diagnostic tests became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lateral flow assays (LFAs) remain a fundamental tool in point-of-care testing due to their simplicity, affordability, and visual readout. Traditional antibody-based LFAs rely on recombinant proteins that are costly and time-consuming to produce. In contrast, synthetic peptides that mimic protein epitopes can be rapidly designed, chemically synthesized, and tailored to specific targets, enabling faster assay development. This review highlights the emerging role of peptides as versatile biorecognition elements in LFAs, emphasizing their rational design, oriented immobilization, and conjugation to nanomaterials. Peptides offer distinct advantages in reproducibility, stability, and scalable production compared to biological antibodies, facilitating reliable and low-cost manufacturing for decentralized diagnostics. Moreover, recent developments in phage display, affibody engineering, and peptide mimotopes have expanded their diagnostic utility across various diseases. Key limitations, including affinity optimization, regulatory validation, and commercialization readiness, are critically assessed providing a balanced perspective on the field. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive overview of current advances and emerging directions in peptide-driven LFAs, emphasizing their growing potential to enhance next-generation diagnostic technologies.
{"title":"Unlocking the diagnostic potential of peptides in lateral flow assays","authors":"Tomasz Wasilewski , Damian Neubauer , Maria Pereira , Wojciech Kamysz , Elisabete Fernandes","doi":"10.1016/j.trac.2025.118561","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.trac.2025.118561","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The urgency for rapidly deployable diagnostic tests became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lateral flow assays (LFAs) remain a fundamental tool in point-of-care testing due to their simplicity, affordability, and visual readout. Traditional antibody-based LFAs rely on recombinant proteins that are costly and time-consuming to produce. In contrast, synthetic peptides that mimic protein epitopes can be rapidly designed, chemically synthesized, and tailored to specific targets, enabling faster assay development. This review highlights the emerging role of peptides as versatile biorecognition elements in LFAs, emphasizing their rational design, oriented immobilization, and conjugation to nanomaterials. Peptides offer distinct advantages in reproducibility, stability, and scalable production compared to biological antibodies, facilitating reliable and low-cost manufacturing for decentralized diagnostics. Moreover, recent developments in phage display, affibody engineering, and peptide mimotopes have expanded their diagnostic utility across various diseases. Key limitations, including affinity optimization, regulatory validation, and commercialization readiness, are critically assessed providing a balanced perspective on the field. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive overview of current advances and emerging directions in peptide-driven LFAs, emphasizing their growing potential to enhance next-generation diagnostic technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":439,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Analytical Chemistry","volume":"195 ","pages":"Article 118561"},"PeriodicalIF":12.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145691892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wearable chemical sensors (WCSs) are demonstrating enormous potential to transform forensic identification by enabling real-time and on-site biochemical analysis and digitally-recorded sensor data monitoring. Advances in flexible electronics, functional materials, and multimodal sensing technologies have catalyzed the development of miniaturized, ergonomic devices that extract critical chemical information from various samples, including biological fluids, crime scene samples, and environmental samples, while interfacing with human physiology via biocompatible and flexible design. Despite the rapid advancement of WCSs in forensic applications, no systematic review has been available over the past five years. This review summarizes the latest advances in WCSs applied in forensic science, including their unique forensic application scenarios, diverse device forms and their scenario adaptability, and applications in forensic toxicant detection. Furthermore, we prospect the future, where the integration of technologies such as artificial intelligence and novel functional materials will transform WCSs into indispensable tools for on-site and real-time forensic identification.
{"title":"Wearable chemical sensors in forensic science: Advances and perspectives","authors":"Tongfei Gao , Wenge Tang , Yangyang Liu , Zhuangzhuang Dong , Zhen Tong , Xiantao Shen , Chuixiu Huang , Yanan Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.trac.2025.118555","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.trac.2025.118555","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wearable chemical sensors (WCSs) are demonstrating enormous potential to transform forensic identification by enabling real-time and on-site biochemical analysis and digitally-recorded sensor data monitoring. Advances in flexible electronics, functional materials, and multimodal sensing technologies have catalyzed the development of miniaturized, ergonomic devices that extract critical chemical information from various samples, including biological fluids, crime scene samples, and environmental samples, while interfacing with human physiology via biocompatible and flexible design. Despite the rapid advancement of WCSs in forensic applications, no systematic review has been available over the past five years. This review summarizes the latest advances in WCSs applied in forensic science, including their unique forensic application scenarios, diverse device forms and their scenario adaptability, and applications in forensic toxicant detection. Furthermore, we prospect the future, where the integration of technologies such as artificial intelligence and novel functional materials will transform WCSs into indispensable tools for on-site and real-time forensic identification.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":439,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Analytical Chemistry","volume":"195 ","pages":"Article 118555"},"PeriodicalIF":12.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145691899","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-28DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2025.118569
Danyang Tao , Huixian Li , Xu Li , Yulin Wang , Yuting Zhan , Qianqian Jin , Kurunthachalam Kannan , Kennth M.Y. Leung , Paul K.S. Lam , Yuhe He
Liquid crystal monomers (LCMs) have received considerable attention due to their widespread use, environmental occurrence, potential for persistence and bioaccumulation, and associated ecological and human health concerns. LCMs encompass diversity in applications, chemical composition and structures and physicochemical properties, which poses significant challenges for measuring them in complex environmental and biological matrices. Therefore, comprehensive methods for the determination of LCMs are crucial for environmental monitoring and risk assessment. This review presents recent advancements in the determination of LCMs across different matrices using various analytical methods, with a focus on sample collection, extraction, purification, instrumental analysis, and quality assurance and control. Furthermore, we examine emerging trends and challenges in LCMs determination and provides insights into future directions for LCMs analysis.
{"title":"Analytical advances and challenges in environmental and biological monitoring of liquid crystal monomers: a comprehensive review","authors":"Danyang Tao , Huixian Li , Xu Li , Yulin Wang , Yuting Zhan , Qianqian Jin , Kurunthachalam Kannan , Kennth M.Y. Leung , Paul K.S. Lam , Yuhe He","doi":"10.1016/j.trac.2025.118569","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.trac.2025.118569","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Liquid crystal monomers (LCMs) have received considerable attention due to their widespread use, environmental occurrence, potential for persistence and bioaccumulation, and associated ecological and human health concerns. LCMs encompass diversity in applications, chemical composition and structures and physicochemical properties, which poses significant challenges for measuring them in complex environmental and biological matrices. Therefore, comprehensive methods for the determination of LCMs are crucial for environmental monitoring and risk assessment. This review presents recent advancements in the determination of LCMs across different matrices using various analytical methods, with a focus on sample collection, extraction, purification, instrumental analysis, and quality assurance and control. Furthermore, we examine emerging trends and challenges in LCMs determination and provides insights into future directions for LCMs analysis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":439,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Analytical Chemistry","volume":"195 ","pages":"Article 118569"},"PeriodicalIF":12.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145691893","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The residues of pesticides and veterinary drugs pose threats to product quality and human health. Traditional detection methods are constrained by the cumbersome equipment and are expensive. Nanomaterial-based sensors (NBS) effectively overcome these drawbacks. However, there are currently no comprehensive reports introducing the latest rapid detection sensor strategies for the pesticide and veterinary drug residues. Firstly, this study systematically introduces the types, functions, and potential applications of nanomaterials as sensing signals over the past five years. It then comprehensively outlines the construction principles and advantages of these new biosensors. Additionally, it summarizes the types and application scenarios of pesticide and veterinary drug residues. Finally, we discuss the current limitations of biosensors and their potential prospects for future development. Therefore, NBS demonstrate excellent analytical performance in on-site detection of pesticide and veterinary drug residues. This review provides a theoretical basis at comprehensive coordinated early warning of pesticide and veterinary drug residues.
{"title":"New early warning strategies for pesticide and veterinary drug residues in food: Research progress of biosensors mediated by nanomaterials in the past five years","authors":"Mengyu Li, Weichao Wu, Xiaoyu Yu, Xin Zhang, Lulu Cao, Rui Jiao, Hui Li, Ying Zhan, Maoling Hu, Chuanfu Lu, Yang Liu, Yuwei Ren, Yingwang Ye","doi":"10.1016/j.trac.2025.118562","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.trac.2025.118562","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The residues of pesticides and veterinary drugs pose threats to product quality and human health. Traditional detection methods are constrained by the cumbersome equipment and are expensive. Nanomaterial-based sensors (NBS) effectively overcome these drawbacks. However, there are currently no comprehensive reports introducing the latest rapid detection sensor strategies for the pesticide and veterinary drug residues. Firstly, this study systematically introduces the types, functions, and potential applications of nanomaterials as sensing signals over the past five years. It then comprehensively outlines the construction principles and advantages of these new biosensors. Additionally, it summarizes the types and application scenarios of pesticide and veterinary drug residues. Finally, we discuss the current limitations of biosensors and their potential prospects for future development. Therefore, NBS demonstrate excellent analytical performance in on-site detection of pesticide and veterinary drug residues. This review provides a theoretical basis at comprehensive coordinated early warning of pesticide and veterinary drug residues.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":439,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Analytical Chemistry","volume":"195 ","pages":"Article 118562"},"PeriodicalIF":12.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145691888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}