Advances in Electrochemical Systems for Detection of Anti‐Androgens in Water Bodies

Abstract

AbstractAnti‐androgens are a class of drugs that have been used successfully to treat prostate cancer for decades. However, most of these drugs are associated with several adverse effects, triggering widespread concern about the occupational exposure to these drugs, as well as the ecotoxicological risks to the aquatic ecosystem and the environment. This review unpacks the mechanistic pathways of anti‐androgens in water, the risk on the aquatic ecosystem associated with the presence of anti‐androgens in water, as well as human health risks in general. Anti‐androgen detection and quantification methods are also covered, with electrochemical techniques being highlighted as the most reliable approach for the detection and quantification of anti‐androgens in water. The focus of this review is on electrochemical sensors for the determination of anti‐androgens in water as they allow rapid sample analysis, with high sensitivity, good precision, and at low cost. Progress made in developing nanomaterial‐based electrochemical sensors for the detection and quantification of anti‐androgens in water is reviewed in this paper. The metal oxide‐based electrochemical sensor is discussed in greater depth in this review as a viable approach for detecting and quantifying anti‐androgens in water.