Rapid detection in forensic toxicology: current advances, applications, and challenges

The demand for timely, on-site toxicological evidence across poisoning investigations, drug enforcement, and public health emergencies has driven the development of rapid detection technologies in forensic toxicology. This review critically assesses the current landscape of rapid detection technologies, including portable chromatography-mass spectrometry, handheld spectrometers, lateral flow immunoassays, aptamer-based sensors, and electrochemical devices. Instrument-based methods offer definitive identification but face limitations in cost, complexity, and sensitivity for trace analysis. Sensor-based platforms prioritize simplicity and accessibility yet struggle with matrix interference, quantitative accuracy, and differentiation of new psychoactive substances (NPS) isomers. Despite significant advances, key translation barriers include a lack of standardization and limited field-relevant validation. We outline priority areas for future research, such as validation using authentic forensic specimens, integration of machine learning for adaptive data processing, and sustained collaboration to establish standardized protocols and evidentiary frameworks. Rapid detection technologies are not poised to replace laboratory analysis but to complement it, extending the reach of forensic toxicology into the field and enabling real-time decision-making for public health and safety.