Abstract: Disclosed is a panel of recombinant Escherichia coli strains for monitoring a plurality of analytes of interest in an aqueous sample, under aerobic physiological conditions, and a method for monitoring a plurality of analytes of interest employing the recombinant E. coli strains. The analytes of interest include ammonium, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, manganese dication, an iron cation, and nickel dication, or a combination of any one of these analytes in real time, optionally, in a continuous series of aqueous samples, for example of environmental waters, agricultural aqueous run-off, or industrial aqueous inputs and/or outputs, aqueous biological samples, e.g., urine, serum, or cerebrospinal fluid. The disclosed panel of recombinant E. coli strains and the method can also be used to monitor these analytes in food samples that have been macerated and liquified.