A new study published in the journal Talanta highlights the development of a novel microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μCD-PAD) that can simultaneously detect ethanol and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in saliva, offering what researchers describe as a non-invasive, rapid, and cost-effective method for on-site analysis.
For the study, which was also published online by the US National Institute of Health, researchers introduced a capillary-driven device that requires no sample preparation, allowing saliva of varying viscosities to flow seamlessly into the detection zone. This method employs a colorimetric approach, enabling easy quantification of both ethanol and THC using a smartphone camera.
Within just 10 minutes, the device produces a homogenous color signal, which can be analyzed via a smartphone, making it highly user-friendly. The device was further optimized to detect legal limits of ethanol and THC concentrations up to 24 hours after marijuana consumption, with a detection time of 30 minutes.
The study found that “No cross-talk between ethanol and THC occurred and showed recovery in the 98-102% for ethanol and 95-105% for THC with acceptable accuracy, demonstrating the device’s accuracy and reliability.”
Researchers claim that “this developed device exhibits excellent potential for forensic applications, providing a user-friendly, cost-effective, and real-time screening tool for detecting ethanol and THC in saliva.”
The study conclude that they “successfully developed the capillary-driven microfluidic paper-based device as a simple, affordable, and high throughput for salivary drug analysis.”
You can find more information on this study by clicking here.
It’s worth noting that even though this test rapidly detects THC, the compound has been found to remain in the body for days and sometimes weeks after last use, making it an unreliable indicator of impairment.
While this test quickly detects THC, the compound can remain in the body for days or even weeks after the last use, making it an unreliable indicator of impairment.
