Biosensor systems for pesticide determination in water

Different biosensor systems suitable for the determination of pesticides in water are described. They are based on immobilized biological components, which are sensitive to compounds commonly used as pesticides. The biological components in the work described here were microorganisms capable of degrading chlorinated aromatic compounds, cholinesterases which are inhibited by carbamates and organophosphates, and antibodies specific to triazines. They were immobilized on various carriers and were either integrated in automated flow-through systems or developed as disposable electrodes. In this contribution, characteristics features of the different formats are given, e.g., the dependence of the specificity and sensitivity of the system on the biological component.