Nanomaterials as catalysts for the sensitive and selective determination of diclofenac

Background  and  purpose: Diclofenac (DCF) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug possessing analgesic and antipyretic properties. It is used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis pain, osteoarthritis, and acute muscle pain conditions and can be administrated orally, topically or intravenously. Because of its widespread use, hydrophilicity, stability and poor degradation (bioaccumulation in the food chain), DCF is an emerging chemical contaminant that can cause adverse effects in the ecosystems. Taking into account the consumption of DCF in pharmaceutical formulations and its negative impact on the environment, the development of new sensitive, selective, cheap, fast, and online capable analytical devices is needed for on-site applications. Experimental  approach: This brief review attempts to cover the recent developments related to the use of nanomaterials as catalysts for electrochemical determination of DCF in pharmaceutical formulations, biological fluids and environmental samples. Key results: The article aims to prove how electrochemical sensors represent reliable alternatives to conventional methods for DCF analysis. Conclusion: The manuscript highlights the progress in the development of electrochemical sensors for DCF detection. We have analyzed numerous recent papers (mainly since 2019) on sensors developed for the quantitative determination of DCF, indicating the limit of detection, linear range, stability, reproducibility, and analytical applications. Current challenges related to the sensor design and future perspectives are outlined.