Research published in the journal Analyst has demonstrated a
new, non-invasive test that can detect cocaine use through a simple
fingerprint. For the first time, this new fingerprint method can
determine whether cocaine has been ingested, rather than just touched.
Researchers believe that the applications for
this test could be far-reaching. Drug testing is used routinely by
probation services, prisons, courts and other law enforcement agencies.
However, traditional testing methods have limitations.
Credit: © ILYA AKINSHIN / Fotolia
Led 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),
used different types of an analytical chemistry technique known as mass
spectrometry to analyse the fingerprints of patients attending drug
treatment services. They tested these prints against more commonly used
saliva samples to determine whether the two tests correlated. While
previous fingerprint tests have employed similar methods, they have only
been able to show whether a person had touched cocaine, and not whether
they have actually taken the drug.
"When someone has taken cocaine, they excrete traces of benzoylecgonine and methylecgonine as they metabolise the drug, and these chemical indicators are present in fingerprint residue," said lead author Dr Melanie Bailey from the University of Surrey. "For our part of the investigations, we sprayed a beam of solvent onto the fingerprint slide (a technique known as Desorption Electrospray Ionisation, or DESI) to determine if these substances were present. DESI has been used for a number of forensic applications, but no other studies have shown it to demonstrate drug use."
Researchers believe that the applications for this test could be far-reaching. Drug testing is used routinely by probation services, prisons, courts and other law enforcement agencies. However, traditional testing methods have limitations. For example, blood testing requires trained staff and there are privacy concerns about urine testing. Where bodily fluids are tested, there can be biological hazards and often a requirement for particular storage and disposal methods. Often these tests also require analysis off-site.
"The beauty of this method is that, not only is it non-invasive and more hygienic than testing blood or saliva, it can't be faked," added Dr Bailey. "By the very nature of the test, the identity of the subject is captured within the fingerprint ridge detail itself."
It is anticipated that this technology could see the introduction of portable drug tests for law enforcement agencies to use within the next decade.
"We are only bound by the size of the current technology. Companies are already working on miniaturised mass spectrometers, and in the future portable fingerprint drugs tests could be deployed. This will help to protect the public and indeed provide a much safer test for drug users," said Dr Bailey.
"When someone has taken cocaine, they excrete traces of benzoylecgonine and methylecgonine as they metabolise the drug, and these chemical indicators are present in fingerprint residue," said lead author Dr Melanie Bailey from the University of Surrey. "For our part of the investigations, we sprayed a beam of solvent onto the fingerprint slide (a technique known as Desorption Electrospray Ionisation, or DESI) to determine if these substances were present. DESI has been used for a number of forensic applications, but no other studies have shown it to demonstrate drug use."
Researchers believe that the applications for this test could be far-reaching. Drug testing is used routinely by probation services, prisons, courts and other law enforcement agencies. However, traditional testing methods have limitations. For example, blood testing requires trained staff and there are privacy concerns about urine testing. Where bodily fluids are tested, there can be biological hazards and often a requirement for particular storage and disposal methods. Often these tests also require analysis off-site.
"The beauty of this method is that, not only is it non-invasive and more hygienic than testing blood or saliva, it can't be faked," added Dr Bailey. "By the very nature of the test, the identity of the subject is captured within the fingerprint ridge detail itself."
It is anticipated that this technology could see the introduction of portable drug tests for law enforcement agencies to use within the next decade.
"We are only bound by the size of the current technology. Companies are already working on miniaturised mass spectrometers, and in the future portable fingerprint drugs tests could be deployed. This will help to protect the public and indeed provide a much safer test for drug users," said Dr Bailey.
ournal Reference:
- Melanie Bailey, Robert Bradshaw, Simona Francese, Tara La Roche Salter, Catia Costa, Mahado Ismail, Roger Webb, Ingrid Bosman, Kim Wolff, Marcel de Puit. Rapid Detection of Cocaine, Benzoylecgonine and Methylecgonine in Fingerprints using Surface Mass Spectrometry. The Analyst, 2015; DOI: 10.1039/C5AN00112A
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