Recent advances in single-atom nanozymes for colorimetric biosensing

Recently, single-atom catalysts (SACs) and nanozymes (SANs) have emerged and flourished in the field of catalysis due to their exceptional atom utilization efficiency and high catalytic performance, thereby paving the way for amplified biosensing capabilities. Contrasted with natural enzymatic counterparts, SANs offer numerous advantages including robust catalytic activity, facile production, and cost-effectiveness, thus holding immense potential for deployment in colorimetric biosensing applications. Notably, SANs demonstrate enhanced catalytic efficiency and selectivity in comparison to conventional nanozymes. This review article comprehensively overviews the latest advancements in SANs-based biosensing platforms specifically tailored for colorimetric bioanalytical applications. Besides, strategies to improve the enzyme-like activity of SANs are discussed. Finally, the paper addresses extant challenges and delineates prospective avenues for the advancement of SAN-based biosensing technologies. The insights and perspectives presented herein are anticipated to provide valuable guidance in comprehending the enzyme-like catalytic activity of SANs and in designing SANs tailored to augment biosensing functionalities.