DIRAC

rapid screening and identification of illegal Drugs by IR Absorption spectroscopy and gas Chromatography

 Partecipanti

Mappa

 Word cloud

Esplora la "nuvola delle parole (Word Cloud) per avere un'idea di massima del progetto.

 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The goal of this project is to develop an advanced sensor system, that combines miniaturized Gas Chromatography (GC) as its key chemical separation tool, and Hollow-Fiber-based Infra Red Absorption Spectroscopy (HF-IRAS) as its key analytical tool to recognize and detect illicit drugs, key precursors and potential derivatives. The DIRAC sensor will be developed to: 1) be used on the field primarily by customs officers for controls at the EU external frontiers and by law enforcement personnel for intra-Community checks as a rugged and hand-portable unit; 2) perform rapid detection of key chemicals; 3) reject interferents with minimal false positive alarm rate; 4) perform advanced data analyses such as similarity evaluation between the chemical structure of the unknown sample with that of controlled/illicit substances. Currently, GC-IRAS (through FTIR implementation) is, together with GC-MS (Mass Spectrometry), the most powerful technique for the identification and quantification of amphetamines. However, so far GC-IRAS has been implemented only as bench-top instrumentation for forensic applications and bulk analysis down to milli- and micro-gram quantities. In DIRAC, the use of silicon-micromachined GC columns, solid state lasers, and hollow fibres IR, will allow to develop a GC-IRAS sensor that features hand-portability and prompt response –for field operation– and is capable to perform both bulk analysis and trace analysis with nano-gram sensitivity. The DIRAC sensor will further feature a) an advanced sampling device, that separates the analyte from larger amounts of interfering materials (dust, skin particles) by electrostatic charging; and, b), an advanced silicon micro-machined pre-concentration device, capable to treat sequentially both volatile ATS substances and non volatile ammonium salts of the amphetamines. The main output of the DIRAC project will be a fully functional sensor prototype from sampling to read out.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

A recently completed EU project has developed portable prototype devices for rapid screening and detection of illegal drugs and their precursors.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Accurate detection of illegal drugs, such as amphetamines, has relied on laboratory instruments, while portable sensors have been prone to false alarms and contamination. A more reliable hand-held detection unit with reduced false alarm rates and rapid response time is needed to prevent drug trafficking.

The EU-funded http://www.fp7-dirac.eu/ (DIRAC) project aimed to develop a portable tool that can rapidly identify illegal drugs, as well as their precursors and derivatives. Three prototypes were tested with various drugs, precursors and derivatives, and showed high sensitivity and overall excellent ability to identify these compounds.

Test outcomes showed that the sensor enables the handling, separation and examination of samples. It can also distinguish between a number of compounds, and detection is not compromised by humidity or the presence of other chemicals.

It will be possible to use the completed DIRAC sensor as a portable device, which will be able to analyse and detect both bulk and trace materials. In addition, it will deliver drug detection in approximately two minutes, and specific drug identification in about five minutes.

The three prototypes created were an identification unit, a salts detector and a vapour detector. These could feasibly be combined into a single device as part of a future project.

A final demonstration took place in 2014 at Brussels Airport's goods and customs area. This device provides the most accurate detection and analysis of illegal drug precursors currently available.

The fully functioning prototype sensor should prove invaluable for law enforcement and customs organisations in their fight against illicit drug production, trafficking and street distribution.