Modern Methods for Detection of Fentanyl and Its Analogues: A Comprehensive Review of Technologies and Applications

Fentanyl and its analogues represent a severe threat due to their extreme potency and increasing prevalence in illicit drug supplies. Even trace amounts (on the order of a couple of milligrams) can be lethal, contributing to a surge in opioid overdose deaths worldwide. Beyond the public health crisis, fentanyl has emerged as a security concern, with the potential for deliberate use as a chemical agent in CBRN scenarios. This underscores the critical need for rapid and accurate detection methods that can be deployed by security forces and first responders. Modern technology offers a range of solutions-from portable mass spectrometers and spectroscopic devices to electrochemical sensors and immunoassay kits-that enable on-site identification of fentanyl and its analogues. This review provides a comprehensive overview of detection techniques, examining their capabilities and applications in law enforcement, border control, and CBRN incident response. We highlight how integration of advanced sensors with machine learning is enhancing detection accuracy in complex field environments. Challenges such as operational constraints and the ever-evolving variety of fentanyl analogues are discussed, and future directions are recommended to improve field-deployable detection tools for safety and security applications.