Beyond Graphene

Biosensors are indispensable analytical devices that deliver accurate measurements of biological or chemical reactions, providing key applications in fields such as food safety, agriculture, and healthcare. Graphene, a 2D honeycomb lattice structure comprising a single sheet of carbon atoms, has become an important building block for low-dimensional biosensors. Its derivatives, such as graphene oxide (GO) and graphene quantum dots, add essential characteristics such as high specific surface area, efficient electron transport, and excellent mechanical strength, which give them the potential to be used in a wide variety of applications. Graphene-based biosensors utilize these properties in various signal output approaches, each suited to different types of biomarker detection. Fluorescent detection uses graphene’s fluorescence quenching ability to detect targets, while electrochemical detection measures changes in current, potential, or impedance to signal the presence of a target biomolecule. The multifunctional detection capabilities of graphene-based sensors have widened their application in food safety, agriculture, and healthcare, providing innovative methods for multiple target detection. Sensors for multifunction detection combine recognition of multiple biomarkers with different signal readouts, expand the application range of biosensors, and offer new avenues for comprehensive analytical methods in diagnostics. The integration of graphene in biosensors represents a significant advancement in the field, aligning with the needs of food safety, agriculture, and healthcare to provide precise, rapid, and cost-effective analytical tools. This, coupled with ongoing research, underscores the potential of graphene-based biosensors to revolutionize these critical sectors. The integration of 2D materials, exclusively in food safety, agriculture, and healthcare, has transformed biosensors by offering unparalleled sensitivity and specificity.