Safety and quality of water are significant matters for agriculture, animals and human health. Microcystins, as secondary metabolite of cyanobacteria (blue–green algae) and cyclic heptapeptide cyanotoxin, are one of the main marine toxins in continental aquatic ecosystems. More than 100 microcystins have been identified, of which MC-LR is the most important type due to its high toxicity and common detection in the environment. Climate change is an impressive factor with effects on cyanobacterial blooms as source of microcystins. The presence of this cyanotoxin in freshwater, drinking water, water reservoir supplies and food (vegetable, fish and shellfish) has created a common phenomenon in eutrophic freshwater ecosystems worldwide. International public health organizations have categorized microcystins as a kind of neurotoxin and carcinogen. There are several conventional methods for detection of microcystins. The limitations of traditional methods have encouraged the development of innovative methods for detection of microcystins. In recent years, the developed sensor techniques, with advantages, such as accuracy, reproducibility, portability and low cost, have attracted considerable attention. This review compares the well-known of biosensor types for detection of microcystins with a summary of their analytical performance.

水的安全和质量对农业，动物和人类健康至关重要。微囊藻毒素，作为蓝细菌的次生代谢产物（蓝绿色藻类）和环状七肽氰毒素，是大陆水生生态系统中的主要海洋毒素之一。现已鉴定出100多种微囊藻毒素，其中MC-LR由于其高毒性和在环境中的普遍检测而成为最重要的类型。气候变化是一个令人印象深刻的因素，它影响着作为微囊藻毒素来源的蓝藻水华。这种氰毒素存在于淡水，饮用水，水库供水和食物（蔬菜，鱼类和贝类）中，已在世界范围的富营养化淡水生态系统中引起普遍现象。国际公共卫生组织已将微囊藻毒素归类为一种神经毒素和致癌物。有几种检测微囊藻毒素的常规方法。传统方法的局限性鼓励了检测微囊藻毒素的创新方法的发展。近年来，已开发出的传感器技术以其准确性，可再现性，便携性和低成本等优点受到了广泛的关注。这篇综述将众所周知的用于检测微囊藻毒素的生物传感器类型与它们的分析性能进行了总结。