{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T17:26:21Z","timestamp":1785432381291,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":109,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,5]],"date-time":"2026-06-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1780617600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa","award":["SRUG2204133298"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["SRUG2204133298"]}]},{"name":"National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa","award":["PMDS230622120431"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PMDS230622120431"]}]},{"award":["SRUG2204133298"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["SRUG2204133298"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/05s0g1g46","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"award":["PMDS230622120431"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PMDS230622120431"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/05s0g1g46","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have emerged as robust and versatile recognition elements for electrochemical sensing due to their high chemical and mechanical stability, cost-effective fabrication, and excellent selectivity toward target analytes. In recent years, MIP-based electrochemical sensors have gained significant attention for the detection of pharmaceutical contaminants in wastewater, addressing growing environmental and public health concerns. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamental principles of molecular imprinting Emphasis is placed on fabrication strategies and electrochemical detection techniques, including cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Furthermore, it discusses imprinting mechanisms for different classes of contaminants, matrix effects, and other challenges. By critically analyzing recent applications, this work highlights key factors influencing sensor performance, such as sensitivity, selectivity, and detection limits. Finally, we touch on future perspectives, focusing on the development of more reliable, scalable, and environmentally sustainable sensing platforms for real-world wastewater monitoring.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s26113600","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,5]],"date-time":"2026-06-05T17:18:16Z","timestamp":1780679896000},"page":"3600","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP)-Based Electrochemical Sensors for Pharmaceutical Detection in Wastewater: Imprinting Strategies, Analytical Performance, and Challenges"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0634-1063","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hopewell","family":"Mnyandu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Chemistry, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Precious","family":"Mahlambi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Chemistry, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8308-5422","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mun\u2019delanji C.","family":"Vestergaard","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima City 890-0065, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"94","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.chemrev.8b00171","article-title":"Molecularly imprinted polymers","volume":"119","author":"BelBruno","year":"2018","journal-title":"Chem. 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