Chemist devises on-the-spot test for dangerous ‘bath salts’ and ‘plant food’
9 August 2016
![A UTS PhD candidate has designed a simple colour test that can provide a result in five to 10 minutes](/sites/default/files/styles/container_width_large_x1/public/sci-synthetic-cathinones-test-machine.jpg?itok=dU7CMIN3)
You don’t need to have watched too many episodes of the US television series Breaking Bad to know that rogue chemists play a critical role in the global trade of illicit and dangerous drugs.
Countless new formulations are devised each year as criminal syndicates try to stay a step ahead of contemporary law enforcement and drug-testing procedures.
UTS PhD candidate Morgan Philp is a chemist on the other side of the ledger – her work lies in creating ways to detect problematic substances at the earliest opportunity.
Read the full story in the Newsroom.