FINGERPRINT TO DETERMINE DRUG USAGE

Detecting cocaine in someone is just a finger tap away. 

Research conducted by the University of Surrey, a team of researchers from the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NL), the National Physical Laboratory (UK), King's College London (UK) and Sheffield Hallam University (UK) reveals a new, non-invasive method that is able to identify whether cocaine has been ingested through a simple fingerprint. Using an analytical chemistry technique known as mass spectrometry, the team analysed the fingerprints of patients attending drug treatment services. Contrary to the previous fingerprint tests which could only been able to show whether a person had touched cocaine, this test can actually confirm the drug intake.  

When the cocaine gets metabolized in the users, they emit traces of benzoylecgonine and methylecgonine which are the chemical indicators present in fingerprint residue, informs Dr Melanie Bailey from the University of Surrey. 

As a part of their investigations, they followed a technique known as Desorption Electrospray Ionisation, or DESI where they sprayed a beam of solvent onto the fingerprint slide to find out if whether these substances were present or not. While traditional drug testing methods have some limitations including biological hazards and privacy concerns, researchers are considering this method a safer test for drug users that could be deployed for law enforcement agencies within the next decade.
Source: sciencedaily.com