Capillary electrophoresis with electrochemical detection: A promising platform for anti-doping analysis

Sports drug testing is crucial for protecting athlete health and upholding the integrity of fair competition. While chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) remains the gold standard in world anti-doping agency (WADA) accredited laboratories, its logistical and economic constraints limit the scope and frequency of testing, creating a significant detection gap. This gap highlights an urgent need for analytical platforms that are rapid, cost-effective, and adaptable for high-throughput screening and on-site testing. This review critically examines capillary electrophoresis coupled with electrochemical detection (CE-EC) as a powerful and versatile platform poised to fill this specific need. This review posits that CE-EC's primary role is not to replace the confirmatory power of MS, but to act as a vital complementary technology. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of technological advances that have enhanced CE-EC performance, including nanomaterial-modified electrodes and molecularly imprinted polymers for superior sensitivity, miniaturization into lab-on-a-chip formats for high-throughput analysis, and advanced detection modalities such as pulsed amperometric detection and capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection. Concurrently, this review addresses the core challenges that have hindered its adoption, including the debate over sensitivity relative to MS, matrix effects in biological samples, and the need for robust, validated methods. By presenting evidence from recent literature, this review delineates the specific contexts in which CE-EC is a viable platform. Finally, this review explores future directions, focusing on portable, on-site CE-EC devices that could revolutionize anti-doping strategies by shifting the paradigm from centralized detection to widespread, real-time deterrence.