Scientists at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences have designed a detector to help fight drug addiction.
Mohammad Taqdisi, the head of the research team, told ISNA, “By using gold nanoparticles, we were able to devise a sensor that can detect three types of narcotics.”
He added that this highly selective and sensitive molecular sensor changes color in the presence of narcotics.
The technology has helped develop color and fluorescent sensors for detecting commonly used narcotics such as cocaine, morphine and heroin.
With dozens of “First-check” or “Quick-check” narcotic test kits commercially available, the new invention’s advantage is that its technology is indigenous. Therefore, manufacturing these detectors would be locally feasible.
Taqdisi said the invention can detect small amounts of drugs, up to macro grams per liter in less than six minutes.
The device was developed two years ago, but has only been officially displayed this week to attract investors for production.
