Forensic Analytical Frontiers for Pollutants, Drugs and Psychoactive Substances

In recent years, the global landscape of environmental pollution, drug misuse, and psychoactive substance abuse has become increasingly complex. Rapid advances in chemical manufacturing, the emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS), and shifting patterns of environmental contamination have challenged traditional forensic methods, with particular regard to the mass spectrometry techniques. Forensic scientists are now required to detect, identify, and quantify a wide range of substances and contaminants, even at trace-level, in a vast spectrum of media, from biological samples to environmental matrices. In this context, continuous innovation in analytical techniques and interdisciplinary approaches is vital for effective detection, identification, and regulatory enforcement.

This Research Topic seeks to address the pressing analytical challenges that arise at the intersection of forensic toxicology and environmental analysis, especially in the detection of pollutants, drugs, and psychoactive substances. Classical methods often struggle with sensitivity, selectivity, and adaptability to new substances—resulting in a need for novel strategies and frameworks. We aim to bring together research highlighting cutting-edge methods, technologies, and interdisciplinary solutions that enhance forensic capabilities. By encouraging collaboration among chemists, toxicologists, biologists, environmental scientists, and forensic professionals, we can advance the frontier for accurate detection and monitoring, inform public health, and legal decisions, and mitigate the consequences of emerging pollutants and illicit substances.


We welcome Original Research, Review, Mini Review and Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:

• Advanced multi-omics and high-resolution analytical techniques (e.g., mass spectrometry, biosensors)
• Strategies for the detection of NPS and unidentified pollutants
• Innovations in sample preparation, extraction, analysis and interpretation (also as forensic evidence) for complex and/or non-traditional matrices (e.g., placenta, adipose tissue, breast milk)
• Regulatory and medico-legal aspects concerning the topic
• Data analysis, chemometrics, and machine learning applications in forensic analysis
• Validation studies, inter-laboratory comparisons, and casework applications

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Mini Review
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Mini Review
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Keywords: forensic toxicology; toxicology; forensic analysis, emerging pollutants, psychoactive substances, analytical techniques, innovative detection

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.