Abstract <p>Effective detection of radioactive ions is crucial for protecting the environment and safeguarding human health from radioactive threats. Conventional methods for radioactive ion detection are usually complex, time-consuming, and unsuitable for on-site detections. This paper provides a comprehensive review of novel nanomaterial-based detection systems for sensing radioactive ions. The synthesis, working principles, and performance of sensors based on Quantum Dots (QDs), Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) and Gold Nanoparticles (AuNPs) associated with DNAzymes and Azo compounds, and the integration of these nanomaterials on electrochemical, optical, and microfluidic platforms is summarized, with a particular focus on their application for detecting radioactive ions in complex matrices such as seawater and nuclear wastewater. The challenges and perspectives, including selectivity, anti-interference capability, and reproducibility of nanomaterial-based systems, are also discussed, which provides a clue for developing high-performance, cost‑effective radioactive ion detection platforms.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>