Quick test to detect amphetamine use under development

Scientists in South Korea have announced the development of a portable device that can rapidly detect the presence of amphetamines in urine.

The prototype test device pairs a wireless sensor with a smartphone app. The developers said that the device can detect the presence of amphetamines in a drop of urine in a few seconds.

The highly sensitive device has a low risk of registering false-positive results and is so small that testers can wear it as a bracelet. According to the researchers, the production cost for the device will be about $50 (£38).

Study co-author, Joon Hak Oh, head of the organic electronics lab at the Pohang University of Science and Technology, said that conventional drug testing techniques need sophisticated procedures, expensive equipment, long operational time, and well-trained test technicians, and that, in most cases, current methods are not very portable. He said that the new drug-testing device solves these problems.

Ilha Hwang, a scientist with the Pohang University of Science and Technology, who collaborated on the project, said that fast, on-site drug testing could possibly prevent additional accidents or crimes caused by amphetamine abuse. He said that breathalysers are very effective in detecting drunk drivers after a traffic stop, possibly preventing accidents, and he hoped the device developed by his team would have the same impact on individuals abusing amphetamines.

The researchers said that further tests of the device in a clinical environment were needed before it could be marketed.