ACS Applied Nano Materials Reviews Single-Atom Nanozymes: Drastically Improving Sensitivity and Specificity for Biomolecule and Pollutant Detection

July 5, 2026

ACS Applied Nano Materials USA

Overview

Single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes) significantly reduce detection limits (LOD) and improve detection sensitivity and specificity due to their highly efficient substrate catalysis. These properties position SAzymes as low-cost, high-performance sensing tools driving technological innovation in areas such as environmental monitoring and food safety. Their easy integration into portable devices, such as smartphones, facilitates rapid on-site detection. This review emphasizes SAzymes as a crucial component shaping the future of biosensing.

In Depth

Key Findings

According to a review article published in ACS Applied Nano Materials, single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes) have been identified as dramatically reducing limits of detection (LOD) and significantly enhancing detection sensitivity and specificity compared to conventional analytical techniques, attributed to their exceptional substrate reaction catalysis. SAzymes, by combining the unique physical properties of nanomaterials with enzyme-like catalytic activity, are emerging as low-cost, high-performance sensing tools that are powerfully driving technological innovation across diverse fields such as environmental monitoring, food safety, and biomedical diagnostics. Their facile integration with portable devices, including smartphones, is particularly noteworthy, enabling rapid and highly accurate on-site detection and paving the way for broad applications.

Technical / Clinical Details

SAzymes possess a structure where single metal atoms (e.g., Fe, Co, Pt) are uniformly dispersed and anchored onto nanoscale support materials (e.g., graphene, metal oxides). These single-atom sites ensure maximum catalytic activity, reacting with specific biomolecules or chemical substances with enzyme-like efficiency. For example, in the detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), SAzymes exhibit peroxidase-like activity, enabling the detection of H2O2 concentrations at nanomolar levels through colorimetric reactions. This ultra-high sensitivity represents a significant improvement over traditional nanozymes and natural enzymes, making them extremely effective for detecting trace biomarkers and pollutants. Furthermore, SAzymes demonstrate high stability across a broad range of pH and temperatures, and possess excellent shelf-life, making them suitable for field use and long-term monitoring. Their integration into portable devices means SAzyme-incorporated sensing platforms can be designed for instant, high-precision detection of specific biomarkers (e.g., glucose in diabetic patients, specific pathogen DNA, or allergens in food).

Background & Context

Highly sensitive and specific detection technologies are indispensable for public health, environmental protection, and ensuring food supply safety. However, existing high-performance analytical methods often require expensive, complex instrumentation and specialized operation. The advent of SAzymes fills this gap, offering more accessible and cost-effective solutions. SAzymes hold potential for addressing a wide range of challenges, including rapid detection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, screening for harmful additives in food, and monitoring water pollutants. This technology is expected to play a critical role in enhancing diagnostic and monitoring capabilities, particularly in developing countries and remote areas.

Strategic Significance & Outlook

While research into single-atom nanozymes is still a relatively young field, their application potential is vast. In the future, SAzymes are likely to be integrated into multiplexed sensing platforms, enabling the simultaneous detection of multiple targets. Furthermore, their fusion with AI could allow SAzyme-based sensors to analyze vast amounts of collected data for more complex diagnoses and predictive analytics. The incorporation into wearable biosensors also offers the potential for continuous monitoring of individual health status, contributing to early disease detection and prevention. As one of the key pillars of next-generation biosensing technology, SAzymes are expected to exert a significant impact on science and society through their innovative capabilities.

Source: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsanm.6c01129

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