Opportunity
A portable test suitable for use in the field by law enforcement agencies for the detection of the illicit drug class NBOMe.
Background
Currently, there is a lack of a portable test for NBOMe compounds available to law enforcement agencies such as police forces and border protection agencies. Existing confirmatory laboratory tests can take a long time, sometimes longer than 24 hours.
Our Solution
Researchers at UTS have developed a presumptive colour test for the detection of NBOMe compounds, a new generation of illicit designer drugs. The test consists of adding a suspected substance to a proprietary colourless solution. A colour change within five minutes indicates a positive result for the NBOMe drug family. When the reagent solution remains colourless, it indicates a negative result.
A distinct advantage of this colour test is the small amounts of reagents required and the absence of hazardous concentrated acids or bases that are employed as a test reagent.
This simple, rapid colour test provides law enforcement with decisive information within minutes. This method greatly improves the agencies’ ability to immediately detect new designer drugs.
Benefits of this technology include portability, safe and easy to use by non-specialists with minimal training, availability of results within five minutes, requirement of only small quantities, high selectivity, limited cross-reactivity to other types of illicit drugs and commonly found cutting agents.
Potential Applications
Law enforcement agencies such as police and border protection.
IP Status
NPE filed in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia.
Inventors
Shanlin Fu, Melanie Lauria, Joshua Klingberg, Laura Clancy, Ronald Shimmon.
Figure A: The test solution changes colour to indicate the concentration NBOMe compounds
Contact us
If you are interested in working with our researchers to develop any of our technologies, please contact the UTS Commercialisation Team at patents@uts.edu.au.