Recent advances in single-atom catalysts for electrochemiluminescence regulation: Mechanisms and applications

In recent years, single-atom catalysis (SACs) modified interface has been explored for regulating electrochemiluminescence (ECL) processes benefiting from atomically dispersed active sites, well-defined coordination environments, and tunable electronic structures. SACs enable precise control over key ECL-relevant processes, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, interfacial electron-transfer kinetics, and excited-state formation pathways. Such atomic-level regulation translates into markedly enhanced ECL efficiency, operational stability, and signal tunability. This review summarizes how SACs uniquely modulate ECL systems, with particular emphasis on the underlying structure-activity-luminescence relationships. We systematically outline rational design strategies for SACs tailored to ECL applications and highlight their emerging roles in ultrasensitive biosensing and multiplexed analysis. In addition, critical challenges—including active-site stability under dynamic ECL conditions, mechanistic ambiguity in ROS-mediated pathways, and selectivity control within complex reaction networks—are systematically discussed. Finally, we outline future research directions aimed at advancing mechanism-guided SACs design and facilitating the translation of SACs-regulated ECL platforms from performance-oriented proofs of concept to robust, functional analytical technologies.