Innovation from UFSCar: A Game-Changer for Sustainable Agriculture
The Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), a leading institution in Brazil's higher education landscape, has unveiled a groundbreaking electrochemical biosensor known as Bio-AChE. This device promises to transform the search for natural products that can serve as effective pesticides, or bioinseticidas, for pest control. Developed through collaborative efforts between the Natural Products Laboratory (LPN) and the Bioanalytical and Electroanalytical Laboratory (LaBiE), the biosensor targets inhibitors of the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme, a key component in insect nervous systems.
Brazil, as the world's largest consumer of pesticides with usage rates exceeding 10.9 kg per hectare—far above the United States (2.85 kg/ha) or China (1.9 kg/ha)—faces mounting challenges from pest resistance and environmental concerns. In 2025 alone, the country approved a record 912 pesticide registrations, underscoring the urgency for sustainable alternatives like biopesticides, whose market is projected to grow at a 9.79% CAGR, reaching USD 447.70 million by 2030. UFSCar's innovation positions Brazilian universities at the forefront of this shift toward eco-friendly agrotech solutions.
The Science Behind the Bio-AChE Biosensor
Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is an enzyme essential for hydrolyzing acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft, enabling nerve impulse transmission in insects. Insecticides often inhibit AChE, causing paralysis and death. Traditional screening for natural AChE inhibitors involves complex, costly methods like affinity chromatography, limiting scalability.
The Bio-AChE biosensor streamlines this process using a disposable screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE). Here's how it works step-by-step:
- Electrode Preparation: The SPCE working electrode is modified with glutathione-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs@GSH), which provide a stable, biocompatible surface for enzyme attachment.
- Enzyme Immobilization: Purified AChE from electric eel (Electrophorus electricus) is covalently bound to the AuNPs via carbodiimide chemistry, preserving over 90% of its activity.
- Assay Protocol: The substrate acetylthiocholine chloride (ATChCl) is added, producing thiocholine detectable via amperometric measurement at +0.4 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Inhibitors reduce current, quantified as inhibition percentage: % Inhibition = [(I0 - I)/I0] × 100, where I0 is uninhibited current.
- Screening: Plant extracts are incubated with the biosensor; results in minutes per sample, enabling hundreds daily.
This portable, low-cost setup (electrodes cost R$1-2 each) democratizes high-throughput screening.
Development Team and UFSCar's Research Ecosystem
Lead developer Sean dos Santos Araújo, a PhD candidate in UFSCar's Chemistry Graduate Program (PPGQ), spearheaded the project under supervisors Ronaldo Censi Faria, João Batista Fernandes, Moacir Rossi Forim, and Maria Fátima Fernandes da Silva—all from the Chemistry Department. Their interdisciplinary expertise spans natural product chemistry and electroanalysis.
UFSCar's LPN focuses on bioactive plant compounds, while LaBiE (also known as LSNano) excels in nanomaterial-based sensors. This synergy exemplifies how Brazilian public universities drive innovation in biotechnology. For aspiring researchers, opportunities abound in higher education research positions and faculty roles at institutions like UFSCar.
Publication and Rigorous Validation
The research culminated in a paper published February 19, 2025, in Analytical Methods (DOI: 10.1039/D4AY02084G): "Disposable electrochemical biosensor based on acetylcholinesterase for inhibition assays using a natural substance and plant extracts."Read the full publication.
Validation began with azadirachtin from neem (Azadirachta indica), a benchmark AChE inhibitor, confirming precise detection. Crude extracts from Brazilian plants Picramnia riedelii (41% inhibition), P. ciliata (55%), and Toona ciliata (50%) showed strong potential. ¹H NMR analysis pinpointed limonoids and other metabolites as likely culprits, paving the way for isolation and formulation.
Advantages Revolutionizing Biopesticide Discovery
Compared to chromatography, Bio-AChE cuts costs by 90% and time from weeks to hours. Its sensitivity (LOD ~ nM for inhibitors) and reproducibility (RSD <5%) rival lab-grade tools, yet it's field-deployable. In Brazil, where pest resistance affects crops like soy and corn, this accelerates biopesticide R&D amid a market booming to R$4.35 billion in bioinputs sales (2024/25, +18% YoY).
- Cost-effective disposables reduce barriers for small labs.
- High throughput for biodiversity screening—Brazil's 55,000+ plant species.
- Minimal reagents; eco-friendly nanomaterials.
Spotlighting Promising Plants from Brazilian Biodiversity
The tested Picramnia species, native to the Atlantic Forest, yield limonoids with proven insecticidal traits. Toona ciliata, from the Meliaceae family, echoes neem's efficacy. These align with UFSCar's track record in natural insecticides, like prior work on Parahancornia amapa. Such discoveries leverage Brazil's megabiodiversity for agrotech sovereignty.
Stakeholders, from Embrapa to farmers, praise the potential to curb resistance, which plagues 50+ species in Brazil.
Broader Impacts on Brazilian Higher Education and Agriculture
UFSCar's feat highlights public universities' role in addressing national priorities like food security and sustainability. With pesticide-treated area up 6.1% to 2.6 billion ha in 2025, biopesticides offer respite.UFSCar news release. It fosters spin-offs, patents, and jobs in biotech. Explore Brazil higher ed opportunities or career advice for researchers.
Funding, Collaborations, and Path Forward
Supported by FAPESP (grants 14/50918-7, 12/25299-6), CNPq, and CAPES, the project exemplifies tri-agency synergy.FAPESP coverage. Future steps include field trials, compound purification, and partnerships with agroindustry for commercialization. Araújo notes: "Our protocol ensures precision, enabling rapid bioassays."
Why This Matters for Global and Brazilian Research Landscape
As biopesticides gain traction (global market $10B+), UFSCar's tool empowers developing nations. In Brazil, it counters over-reliance on imports (US$14.3B in 2025) and resistance crises. For students and profs, it's a model of translational research—check postdoc positions.
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash
Conclusion: Pioneering a Greener Future
UFSCar's Bio-AChE biosensor not only advances science but inspires the next generation in higher ed. Discover faculty insights at Rate My Professor, pursue higher ed jobs, or get career advice. Brazil's universities are leading the charge toward sustainable pest control.
