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.
Journal of Xenobiotics
|March 24, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed a 3D-printed electrochemical sensor for rapid, field-ready detection of methamphetamine (MET) in flowing sewage. This low-cost, disposable platform enables near-real-time wastewater surveillance for public health and law enforcement.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Environmental Science
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Rapid, field-ready detection of methamphetamine (MET) in sewage is crucial for public health and law enforcement surveillance.
- Current methods face challenges in direct, real-time analysis of wastewater under flow conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer a low-cost, 3D-printed flow-through electrochemical cell for direct methamphetamine detection in flowing wastewater.
- To validate the platform's performance and specificity for real-time sewer surveillance.
Main Methods:
- Development of a 3D-printed flow-through electrochemical cell with a screen-printed carbon electrode.
- Utilized square wave voltammetry and chronoamperometry for MET quantification.
- Validated the system using the [Ru(NH3)6]3+/2+ couple to assess kinetic hindrance.
Main Results:
- Achieved limits of detection of 15.9 µg L⁻¹ (non-flow) and 211.2 µg L⁻¹ (flow) for MET in filtered wastewater.
- Demonstrated high specificity, enabling discrimination between MET, its precursor (APAAN), and amphetamine.
- Confirmed negligible kinetic hindrance for voltammetric sensing under convective transport.
Conclusions:
- This study presents the first direct electrochemical sensing of MET in flowing wastewater using a 3D-printed flow-through platform.
- The simple, disposable design offers a foundation for portable, near-real-time sewer surveillance.
- The findings encourage further development of antifouling and auto-cleaning strategies for long-term deployment.
