Direct Methamphetamine Sensing in Flowing Wastewater via a 3D-Printed Flow-Through Cell
Veronika Svitková1,2, Ivana Horáková3, Viliam Kolivoška4
1Department of Inorganic Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia.
Abstract:
The rapid, field-ready detection of methamphetamine (MET) directly in sewage under flow remains a bottleneck for public health and law enforcement surveillance. We engineered a low-cost, 3D-printed flow-through electrochemical cell that houses a commercial screen-printed carbon electrode and operates in both non-flow and flow regimes. The platform was validated using the [Ru(NH3)6]3+/2+ couple, confirming negligible kinetic hindrance and suitability for voltammetric sensing under convective transport. Using square wave voltammetry and chronoamperometry, MET was quantified in filtered wastewater, with limits of detection of 15.9 µg L-1 in non-flow and 211.2 µg L-1 in flow conditions. Specificity tests yielded well-separated faradaic responses for the pre precursor α-phenylacetoacetonitrile (APAAN) and for MET, while amphetamine produced only a weak signal, enabling side-by-side discrimination in a single run. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of direct electrochemical sensing of MET in flowing wastewater using a 3D-printed flow-through platform. The simple, disposable design provides an actionable foundation for portable, near-real-time sewer surveillance and motivates antifouling/auto-cleaning strategies for long-term deployment.
