Recent advancements in the chemical sensing of anticancer alkylating agents

Anticancer agents are important drugs used in the treatment of different types of cancers. Some of the anticancer drugs act as alkylating agents. The release of these drugs from various uses poses serious threat to the ecosystem by creating health and environmental issues. In recent years, significant advancements have been made in the development of sensors for the timely detection of chemotherapeutic agents in different environmental matrices. Some well-known anticancer agents including nitrogen mustards, oxazaphosphorines, ethylene imines, nitrosoureas, alkyl sulfonates, triazenes, hydrazines, and platinum complexes pose significant risks due to their carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic potentials. Addressing these concerns, this review underscores the innovation in sensor technology over the past five years, showcasing rapid, selective, and sensitive tools as viable alternatives to traditional analytical methods. Emphasizing electrochemical, fluorescent, and colorimetric sensors, we detail their remarkable accuracy and low detection limits, essential for precise monitoring of these hazardous substances. Notably, the sensors discussed exhibit varied detection limits, such as a very low detection limit of 6 nM for nitrogen mustards using D-G4/ThT, and a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.36 ng/mL for chlorambucil in aqueous media, extending to 0.39–0.51 ng/mL in real samples with C60 fullerene imprinted micelles. These parameters are critical for the effective detection and monitoring of anticancer alkylating agents in the environment to ensuring the minimization of human and animal exposure to these harmful chemicals in future. This review article highlights the importance for the development of easy to use, reliable and more effective sensors for the timely detection of anticancer alkylating agents in the environment.