The presumptive drug tests currently used by law enforcement officers in the field are often critiqued by the public due to their high false positive rates and subjective interpretation. Each test pouch uses a colorimetric chemical reaction to identify the illicit drug, however, many other substances such as cutting agents can interfere with the reagents. To combat this, a paper-based analytical device (PAD) has been developed and combines 12 colorimetric tests to create a “color- barcode” for each illicit substance. The PAD uses less solid than current presumptive tests, costs less than the test pouches, and can be used in fewer than 5 minutes. A portable light box ensures consistent lighting on the PAD so the colors can be read accurately regardless of the environment. Specificity, sensitivity, limit of detection, and stability will be discussed.

Development of a paper analytical device for the detection of illicit drugs

255th National Meeting (2018)

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