Heriot-Watt: Method for fast detection of drugs in saliva

02 Sep 2009 | News

Licensing opportunity

Researchers at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, have developed method for the presumptive detection of narcotics in saliva.
This device can be used at the roadside, allowing low concentrations of narcotics present in a driver’s saliva to be detected by UV fluorescence visible to the naked eye.

The researchers say the device is simple to use at the roadside or trackside, giving a fast result. The test is simple to administer, using saliva, with no blood or urine samples required.

There is no need to transfer the saliva sample from one container to another, reducing the risk of contamination

Applications include, police forces monitoring drivers for illegal drug use, drug testing in sport, environmental pollution and contamination testing, workforce monitoring.

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