The widespread and persistent occurrence of micropollutants—such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, personal care products, microplastics, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—has emerged as a critical environmental and public health concern, necessitating the development of highly sensitive, selective, and field-deployable detection technologies. Microfluidic sensors, including biosensors, have gained prominence as versatile and transformative tools for real-time environmental monitoring, enabling precise and rapid detection of trace-level contaminants in complex environmental matrices. Their miniaturized design, low reagent consumption, and compatibility with portable and smartphone-assisted platforms make them particularly suited for on-site applications. Recent breakthroughs in nanomaterials, synthetic recognition elements (e.g., aptamers and molecularly imprinted polymers), and enzyme-free detection strategies have significantly enhanced the performance of these biosensors in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and multiplexing capabilities. Moreover, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms into microfluidic platforms has opened new frontiers in data analysis, enabling automated signal processing, anomaly detection, and adaptive calibration for improved diagnostic accuracy and reliability. This review presents a comprehensive overview of cutting-edge microfluidic sensor technologies for micropollutant detection, emphasizing fabrication strategies, sensing mechanisms, and their application across diverse pollutant categories. We also address current challenges, such as device robustness, scalability, and potential signal interference, while highlighting emerging solutions including biodegradable substrates, modular integration, and AI-driven interpretive frameworks. Collectively, these innovations underscore the potential of microfluidic sensors to redefine environmental diagnostics and advance sustainable pollution monitoring and management strategies.

The ever-increasing presence of micropollutants necessitates the development of environmentally friendly bioremediation strategies. Inspired by the remarkable versatility and potent catalytic activities of microbial enzymes, researchers are exploring their application as biocatalysts for innovative environmental cleanup solutions. Microbial enzymes offer remarkable substrate specificity, biodegradability, and the capacity to degrade a wide array of pollutants, positioning them as powerful tools for bioremediation. However, practical applications are often hindered by limitations in enzyme stability and reusability. Enzyme immobilization techniques have emerged as transformative strategies, enhancing enzyme stability and reusability by anchoring them onto inert or activated supports. These improvements lead to more efficient pollutant degradation and cost-effective bioremediation processes. This review delves into the diverse immobilization methods, showcasing their success in degrading various environmental pollutants, including pharmaceuticals, dyes, pesticides, microplastics, and industrial chemicals. By highlighting the transformative potential of microbial immobilized enzyme biocatalysts, this review underscores their significance in achieving a cleaner and more sustainable future through the mitigation of micropollutant contamination. Additionally, future research directions in areas such as enzyme engineering and machine learning hold immense promise for further broadening the capabilities and optimizing the applications of immobilized enzymes in environmental cleanup.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis has emerged as a transformative tool in environmental monitoring, enabling non-invasive detection of species and microbial communities across diverse ecosystems. This study systematically reviews the role of bioinformation technology in eDNA analysis, focusing on methodologies and applications across air, soil, groundwater, sediment, and aquatic environments. Advances in molecular biology, high-throughput sequencing, bioinformatics tools, and field-deployable detection systems have significantly improved eDNA detection sensitivity, allowing for early identification of invasive species, monitoring ecosystem health, and tracking pollutant degradation processes. Airborne eDNA monitoring has demonstrated potential for assessing microbial shifts due to air pollution and tracking pathogen transmission. In terrestrial environments, eDNA facilitates soil and groundwater pollution assessments and enhances understanding of biodegradation processes. In aquatic ecosystems, eDNA serves as a powerful tool for biodiversity assessment, invasive species monitoring, and wastewater-based epidemiology. Despite its growing applicability, challenges remain, including DNA degradation, contamination risks, and standardization of sampling protocols. Future research should focus on integrating eDNA data with remote sensing, machine learning, and ecological modeling to enhance predictive environmental monitoring frameworks. As technological advancements continue, eDNA-based approaches are poised to revolutionize environmental assessment, conservation strategies, and public health surveillance.

Heavy metals, such as copper, lead, and cadmium, carried by acid mine drainage are pollutants of the aquatic ecosystem, posing a significant health risk to the water resource for humans. Environmental technologies to reduce metal contamination are applied for post-mining prevention and improvement. Despite detailed pollution management, water contaminated by heavy metals still flows into the natural water system. This study investigated the impact of drainage discharged from abandoned mines near the major river in South Korea on aquatic organisms. The toxicity of the field water showed a more significant effect than observed through the experiment for each heavy-metal concentration. Various toxic substances coexisted in the field water around the mine, such that the overall toxic intensity was high even when the concentration of each heavy metal was low. As a result, the inhibition of activity of aquatic organisms was observed at low individual concentrations, and further investigation on the effect of long-term exposure to trace amounts of heavy metals is required.