Noninvasive Sensing Concept for Biomedical, Forensic, and Security Applications

Description:
There is a need for accurate, rapid testing methods for drugs and alcohol for medical and law enforcement use. Current technology testing bodily fluids for drugs and alcohol requires invasive sampling of blood or urine and a laboratory with trained staff for sample analysis. Reliance on laboratory testing creates a time-related bottleneck for return of results to requesting parties and introduces potential error as submitted samples age between collection and analysis. Specifically, detection methods for blood alcohol content (BAC) are outdated. Current onsite BAC testing methods serve only as preliminary evidence for operation of machinery or driving under the influence charges. The recent legalization of marijuana for recreational use in many states has led to a push for onsite testing capabilities to determine if a person is under the influence of the psychoactive component of marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), at the time of questioning.
This research group has developed a noninvasive sensing concept for targeting and quantifying specific substances in sweat, which is easily and noninvasively collected. Two concepts for noninvasive sensing in sweat have been developed: one for ethanol quantification relating to BAC, and one for THC metabolite detection. These noninvasive methods utilize enzymatic and immunoassay components and provide colorimetric feedback. The reporting method creates an opportunity for advancing these systems to onsite detection via handheld spectrophotometry devices and even smartphones with specialized software for colorimetric analysis via the built-in camera. This technology could pave the way for a simple, on-site visual test for multiple kinds of drugs and for alcohol that law enforcement and medical staff can operate in that moment of need, instead of submitting the individual involved to traveling to a facility, having blood samples drawn for laboratory testing, and losing valuable time as the body metabolizes the compounds.

Speaker: Jan Halamek - Texas Tech University
Dr. Jan Halamek is the Director of the Institute of Forensic Science at Texas Tech University. His research group primarily studies forensic biochemistry, developing novel detection methods for drugs, warfare agents, and more.