Methods and devices that change color to indicate the presence of opioids and other narcotics
AssigneeThe University of Akron
InventorsAbraham Joy, Tanmay Jain, Nicholas Nun, Amal Narayanan, Russell Catania
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Abstract
A safe and reliable drug detection device is provided that detects the presence of opioids and other amine-containing drugs, and enables first responders, law enforcement personnel, and others to avoid inadvertent exposure to these potentially lethal drugs. The detector device includes a substrate and a dye that produces a visible color change rapidly when the device is brought into contact with an opioid or other amine-containing drug. A method for preparing the detector device and a method for detecting opioids and other amine-containing drugs on a surface are also provided.
Claims20
A detection device for detecting a target analyte on a surface, the detection device comprising
- a porous fabric substrate capable of absorbing liquid;
- and
- a dye that produces a visible color change upon exposure to an opioid or other amine-containing drug, wherein the dye is selected from the group consisting of malachite green oxalate, brilliant green, erythrosine b, methyl green, methyl violet, picric acid, cresol red, crystal violet, m-cresol purple, thymol blue, bromocresol green, cresol red, p-xylenol blue, eosin bluish, quinaldine red, 4-(dimethylamino) azobenzol, methyl orange, 1-naphtholphthalein, m-cresol purple, thymol blue, p-xylenol blue, thymolphthalein, alkali blue, alizarin yellow gg, indigo carmine, epsilon blue, titan yellow, and bromocresol purple,
- wherein the dye is either within the substrate or coated on the substrate or both within the substrate and coated on the substrate, and wherein the detection device is non-toxic to humans.
A method for detecting a target analyte on a surface, the method comprising
- contacting a surface that is suspected of containing a target analyte with a drug detection device, where the drug detection device includes
- a porous fabric substrate capable of absorbing liquid, and
- a dye that is capable of producing a visible color change upon the contact with the target analyte, wherein the dye is selected from the group consisting of malachite green oxalate, brilliant green, erythrosine b, methyl green, methyl violet, picric acid, cresol red, crystal violet, m-cresol purple, thymol blue, bromocresol green, cresol red, p-xylenol blue, eosin bluish, quinaldine red, 4-(dimethylamino) azobenzol, methyl orange, 1-naphtholphthalein, m-cresol purple, thymol blue, p-xylenol blue, thymolphthalein, alkali blue, alizarin yellow gg, indigo carmine, epsilon blue, titan yellow, and bromocresol purple,
- wherein the dye is either within the substrate or coated on the substrate or both within the substrate and coated on the substrate.
A detection device for detecting a target analyte on a surface, the detection device comprising
- a substrate, wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of a wipe, a glove, and a swab;
- and
- a dye that produces a visible color change upon exposure to an opioid or other amine-containing drug, wherein the dye is selected from the group consisting of malachite green oxalate, brilliant green, erythrosine b, methyl green, methyl violet, picric acid, cresol red, crystal violet, m-cresol purple, thymol blue, bromocresol green, cresol red, p-xylenol blue, eosin bluish, quinaldine red, 4-(dimethylamino) azobenzol, methyl orange, 1-naphtholphthalein, m-cresol purple, thymol blue, p-xylenol blue, thymolphthalein, alkali blue, alizarin yellow gg, indigo carmine, epsilon blue, titan yellow, and bromocresol purple,
- wherein the dye is either within the substrate or coated on the substrate or both within the substrate and coated on the substrate,
- wherein the detection device is non-toxic to humans, and
- wherein the visible color change upon exposure to an opioid or other amine-containing drug can occur without any additional heating and without the addition of an acid or a base.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.