Due to the frequent occurrence and elevated concentrations of emerging contaminants (ECs) in water environments, as well as their high toxicity, these compounds have become a growing concern, threatening water safety, human health, and environmental health. Stricter regulations and routine monitoring are required to control EC pollution in water. Analytical chemistry-based techniques are the most widely used approach for quantifying ECs in environmental samples. However, high costs, complex sample preparation, time-consuming protocols, and labor-intensive processes limit their application for the routine and rapid detection of ECs. Biosensors are a promising biotechnological alternative that has received increased attention in recent years for the quantification of ECs. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the main types of biosensors used for monitoring ECs in aquatic environments, highlighting their underlying detection mechanisms and recent technological advancements. It also discusses key challenges associated with different biosensor platforms, such as stability, sensitivity, and development complexity. Potential future research directions to address these limitations and enhance the performance of biosensors include immobilization on hybrid nanomaterials, and the development of portable and multifunctional biosensors for on-site and real-time monitoring. By summarizing current progress and identifying future directions, this review will broaden the awareness and recognition of biosensors for monitoring ECs in water environments, contributing to water safety, sanitation, and sustainability.
15 December 2023 in Science of The Total Environment
Under the background of complex domestic and international environment and the trend of urban population agglomeration, the impact of population agglomeration on urban economic resilience is worthy of attention. This paper uses a sample of 284 cities in China to empirically analyze the impact of population agglomeration on urban economic resilience in the context of the 2008 international financial crisis with the help of spatial econometric models. The results are as follows. First, population agglomeration can enhance the city’s resistance to the economic crisis, is more conducive to improving the city’s economic recovery and adjustment ability, and has a positive spatial spillover effect on surrounding cities. Moreover, population agglomeration enhances the economic resilience of urban secondary and tertiary industries. Secondly, in the population agglomeration context, the situation of the labor force structure affects the resilience of the urban economy. In terms of the labor force’s age structure, the agglomeration of prime-age labor is more conducive to improving urban economic resilience than youth and old labor. In terms of labor quality structure, homogeneous human capital agglomeration enhances cities’ resistance to economic crisis, while heterogeneous human capital agglomeration enhances cities’ ability to recover and adjust their economy.
18 October 2024 in Science of The Total Environment