Rapid On-Site Detection of Illicit Drugs in Smuggled Samples with a Portable Electrochemical Device

The smuggling of illicit drugs urges the development new tools for rapid on-site identification in cargos. Current methods rely on presumptive color tests and portable spectroscopic techniques. However, these sometimes exhibit inaccurate results due to commonly used cutting agents, colorful nature sample or because are smuggled common goods. Interestingly, electrochemical sensors can deal with specific problems. Herein, an device is presented that uses affordable screen-printed electrodes profiling several by square-wave voltammetry (SWV). compound based oxidation potential analyte. Hence, a library profiles built upon analysis agents. This allows design tailor-made script enables each drug through user-friendly interface (laptop mobile phone). Importantly, test compared analyzing 48 confiscated samples other devices Raman FTIR spectroscopy as well laboratory standard method (i.e., gas chromatography–mass spectrometry). Overall, results, obtained different from cargos at end-user site, present promising alternative current methods, offering low-cost testing field.