Disposable electrochemical DNA-based biosensors are reviewed; they have been used for the determination of low- molecular weight compounds with affinity for nucleic acids and for the detection of hybridization reaction. The first application is related to the molecular interaction between surface-linked DNA and pollutants or drugs, in order to develop a simple device for rapid screening of toxic compounds. The determination of such compounds was measured by their effect simple device for rapid screening of toxic compounds. The determination of such compounds was measured by their effect on the oxidation signal of the guanine peak of calf thymus DNA immobilized on the electrode surface and investigated by chronopotentiometric or voltammetric analysis. Applicability to river and wastewater sample is demonstrated. Moreover, disposable electrochemical sensors for the detection of a specific sequence of DNA were realized by immobilizing synthetic single-stranded oligonucleotides onto a graphite screen-printed electrode. The probes because hybridized with different concentrations of complementary sequences present in the sample. The hybrids formed on the electrode surface were evaluated by chronopotentiometric analysis using daunomycin as the indicator of the hybridization reaction. The hybridization was also performed using real samples. Application to apolipoprotein E is described, in this case samples have to be amplified by PCR and then analyzed by the DNA biosensor. The extension of such procedures to samples of environmental interest or to contamination of food is discussed.