Research Advances in Nanosensor for Pesticide Detection in Agricultural Products

Over the past few decades, pesticide application has increased significantly, driven by population growth and associated urbanization. To date, pesticide use remains crucial for sustaining global food security by enhancing crop yields and preserving quality. However, extensive pesticide application raises serious environmental and health concerns worldwide due to its chemical persistence and high toxicity to organisms, including humans. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop rapid and reliable analytical procedures for the quantification of trace pesticide residues to support public health management. Traditional methods, such as chromatography-based detection techniques, cannot simultaneously achieve high sensitivity, selectivity, cost-effectiveness, and portability, which limits their practical application. Nanomaterial-based sensing techniques are increasingly being adopted due to their rapid, efficient, user-friendly, and on-site detection capabilities. In this review, we summarize recent advances and emerging trends in commonly used nanosensing technologies, such as optical and electrochemical sensing, with a focus on recognition elements including enzymes, antibodies, aptamers, and molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). We discuss the types of nanomaterials used, preparation methods, performance, characteristics, advantages and limitations, and applications of these nanosensors in detecting pesticide residues in agricultural products. Furthermore, we highlight current challenges, ongoing efforts, and future directions in the development of pesticide detection nanosensors.