journal article·2026-06-09Open access

Robust Amorphous MOF‐Based Aerogels Digital Biosensor for Sensitive Detection of Organophosphate Pesticides

Changshun Su, Xiangyu Zhai, Houru Li, Yijie Wang, Hongxia Li, Yueyao Jiang, Geyu Lu, Xu Yan

Abstract

ABSTRACT Enzyme‐based point‐of‐care (POC) biosensors offer rapid on‐site detection capabilities; however, their practical deployment is fundamentally constrained by limited sensing stability. Enzyme immobilization strategies enhance sensing stability but often compromise the catalytic activity of enzyme, thereby constraining the POC biosensor performance. In this study, a robust aerogel digital biosensor (ADB) was constructed by embedding enzyme‐mediated amorphous MOFs (AChE‐AMOF) into a calcium (II)/alginate aerogel system for stable and precise on‐site detection of organophosphate pesticides. The enzyme‐mediated process perturbs the Zn 2+ coordination environment and disturbs the orderly MOF‐74 framework, producing a porous AChE‐AMOF composite that facilitates substrate accessibility and mitigates conformational changes of the immobilized enzyme. Impressively, the amorphous AChE‐AMOF exhibits a 2.2‐fold higher catalytic activity than AChE loaded in the crystalline MOF structure. The combination of the AMOF architecture and the aerogel's porous network confers high stability on the ADB, enabling it to retain over 98% of its enzymatic activity for 50 days. Moreover, the output signal of ADB can be converted into digital information by an image algorithm, enabling precise quantification of paraoxon at the nanogram per millilitre level. This work provides a robust tool for accurate on‐site pesticide detection and offers meaningful insights into the design of high‐performance enzyme‐based POC biosensors.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Electrochemical sensors and biosensors · Advanced Nanomaterials in Catalysis · Carbon and Quantum Dots Applications

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Food Quality and Safety College of Food Science and Engineering Jilin University Changchun P. R. China

State Key Laboratory on Integrated Optoelectronics Key Laboratory of Advanced Gas Sensors of Jilin Province College of Electronic Science & Engineering Jilin University Changchun P. R. China

Department of Pharmacy China–Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University Changchun P. R. China

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China

References (42)

Show source-provided references
1. Enzyme and Nanozyme Biosensors Based on MOFs for Pesticide Detection10.1016/j.trac.2025.118381 ↗
2. Adhesion Peptide‐Functionalized Biobased Microgels for Controlled Delivery of Pesticides10.1002/anie.202319832 ↗
3. Hydrolytic Nanozymes: Classification, Activity Regulation, and Applications in Sensing and Degradation of Environmental Pollutants10.1016/j.ccr.2025.216807 ↗
4. Novel Gold Nanozyme Regulation Strategies Facilitate Analytes Detection10.1016/j.ccr.2023.215369 ↗
5. dvances in Design Strategies and Food Safety Sensing10.1016/j.ccr.2025.217157 ↗
6. Two‐Dimensional 1T‐Phase Transition Metal Dichalcogenides as Nanocarriers To Enhance and Stabilize Enzyme Activity for Electrochemical Pesticide Detection10.1021/acsnano.7b01364 ↗
7. A Three‐Dimensional Origami Paper‐Based Device for Potentiometric Biosensing10.1002/anie.201606268 ↗
8. Supra‐biological Performance of Immobilized Enzymes Enabled by Chaperone‐Like Specific Non‐covalent Interactions10.1038/s41467-024-46719-5 ↗
9. Molecularly Imprinted Polymers with Enzymatic Properties Reduce Cytokine Release Syndrome10.1021/acsnano.1c08297 ↗
10. Bioinspired Framework Catalysts: from Enzyme Immobilization to Biomimetic Catalysis10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00879 ↗
11. Enhanced Activity of Enzyme Immobilized on Hydrophobic ZIF‐8 Modified by Ni2+ Ions10.1002/anie.202216699 ↗
12. Bioinspired Microenvironment Modulation of Metal–organic Framework‐based Catalysts for Selective Methane Oxidation10.1016/j.scib.2023.07.031 ↗
13. MOF‐Hosted Enzymes for Continuous Flow Catalysis in Aqueous and Organic Solvents10.1002/anie.202117144 ↗
14. Encapsulation of a Nerve Agent Detoxifying Enzyme by a Mesoporous Zirconium Metal–Organic Framework Engenders Thermal and Long‐Term Stability10.1021/jacs.6b03673 ↗
15. Co‐Encapsulating Enzymes and Carbon Dots in Metal–Organic Frameworks for Highly Stable and Sensitive Touch‐Based Sweat Sensors10.1002/adfm.202310121 ↗
16. Improving both Stability and Sensitivity of Immunosensor by Spatially Controlled Enzyme‐Engineered Covalent Organic Frameworks10.1002/adfm.202420159 ↗
17. Metal–Organic Frameworks Nanoarchitectures Boost Catalytic Activity for the Construction of Sensitive Immunosensor10.1002/adfm.202204130 ↗
18. Zeheng L. · Advanced Materials · 2024 · 3610.1002/adma.202312797 ↗
19. Amorphizing Metal‐organic Framework towards Multifunctional Polysulfide Barrier for High‐performance Lithium‐sulfur Batteries10.1016/j.nanoen.2021.106094 ↗
20. A Dynamic Defect Generation Strategy for Efficient Enzyme Immobilization in Robust Metal‐Organic Frameworks for Catalytic Hydrolysis and Chiral Resolution10.1002/anie.202302436 ↗
21. Enhanced Recognition via Defect Engineered Amorphous Metal–Organic Framework for Sensitive and Stable Pesticide Biosensor10.1002/advs.202517919 ↗
22. Defect Metal‐organic Frameworks (D‐MOFs): an Engineered Nanomaterial for Enzyme Immobilization10.1016/j.ccr.2025.216519 ↗
23. Packaging and Delivering Enzymes by Amorphous Metal‐organic Frameworks10.1038/s41467-019-13153-x ↗
24. A Solid‐State Crystallization Strategy for Direct Enzyme Encapsulation in Zr‐MOFs: Eliminating Harsh pH and Thermal Requirements of Liquid‐Phase Synthesis10.1002/anie.202509275 ↗
25. 4D Mapping of ZIF Biocomposites for High Protein Loading and Tunable Release Profiles10.1002/adfm.202518940 ↗
26. Embedding Functional Biomacromolecules within Peptide‐Directed Metal–Organic Framework (MOF) Nanoarchitectures Enables Activity Enhancement10.1002/anie.202005529 ↗
27. Radical‐Driven Crystal–Amorphous–Crystal Transition of a Metal–Organic Framework10.1021/jacs.4c01040 ↗
28. Stöber Method to Amorphous Metal‐organic Frameworks and Coordination Polymers10.1038/s41467-024-49772-2 ↗
29. Trapping a Metastable Node in an Amorphous Metal–Organic Framework10.1002/anie.8844432 ↗
30. Enzymes at Work Are Enzymes in Motion10.1126/science.aal4632 ↗
31. A Convenient and Versatile Amino‐Acid‐Boosted Biomimetic Strategy for the Nondestructive Encapsulation of Biomacromolecules within Metal–Organic Frameworks10.1002/anie.201813060 ↗
32. Solvent‐Derived Defects Suppress Adsorption in MOF‐7410.1038/s41467-023-38155-8 ↗
33. Biomimetic Single Al‐OH Site with High Acetylcholinesterase‐Like Activity and Self‐defense Ability for Neuroprotection10.1038/s41467-023-41765-x ↗
34. Ultrathin Conductive Bithiazole‐Based Covalent Organic Framework Nanosheets for Highly Efficient Electrochemical Biosensing10.1002/adfm.202302917 ↗
35. Strong yet Flexible Ceramic Aerogel10.1038/s41467-023-42703-7 ↗
36. Macroscopic‐Scale Preparation of Aramid Nanofiber Aerogel by Modified Freezing–Drying Method10.1021/acsnano.1c01551 ↗
37. Entrapment of Enzymes in Silica Aerogels10.1016/j.mattod.2019.09.021 ↗
38. A Multifunctional Pro‐Healing Zwitterionic Hydrogel for Simultaneous Optical Monitoring of pH and Glucose in Diabetic Wound Treatment10.1002/adfm.201905493 ↗
39. Targeting Pesticide Pollution10.1038/s43016-023-00701-4 ↗
40. Optimizing Single‐atom Cerium Nanozyme Activity to Function in a Sequential Catalytic System for Colorimetric Biosensing10.1016/j.nantod.2024.102236 ↗
41. Enzyme Encapsulation in Mesoporous Metal–Organic Frameworks for Selective Biodegradation of Harmful Dye Molecules10.1002/anie.201811327 ↗
42. Locking the Ultrasound‐Induced Active Conformation of Metalloenzymes in Metal–Organic Frameworks10.1021/jacs.2c06471 ↗