Recent advances in engineering aptamer-based sensing and recovery of heavy metals and rare earth elements for environmental sustainability

Heavy metals (HMs) and rare earth elements (REEs) are used in a wide range of industrial and technological applications, but they can also have harmful effects on the environment and human health when released into the environment. Due to their environmental impact and economic importance, there is an increasing interest in detecting and recovering HMs and REEs. Various methods are being developed and optimized for sensing and recovering HMs and REEs, including sensors, (bio)sorbents, and extraction techniques. However, these methods require on-site and routine environmental monitoring professionals, sample pretreatment is complex and requires expensive equipment, and adsorbents/solvents can cause additional environmental pollution. Recently, various biomolecules with hydrophilic properties that can be produced in an eco-friendly manner have been developed to detect and recover HMs and REEs in water. Especially, aptamer-based materials that specifically bind to target molecules are emerging as promising alternatives for detecting, recovering, and recycling HMs and REEs. This article comprehensively reviews recent advanced methods for selecting metal-specific aptamers and their use as biosensors for HMs in environmental samples. Furthermore, sustainable strategies are discussed for potential applications of engineered aptamer-based materials in developing more environmentally friendly techniques for sensing and recovering valuable HMs and potentially REEs.