New Device Detects 'Devil's Breath' in Beverages in 10 Minutes

A new self-powered, microfluidic paper-based device has been developed to rapidly detect scopolamine, commonly known as 'Devil's Breath,' in beverages, pharmaceuticals, and plant extracts. Scopolamine is a significant public health and forensic concern due to its potent amnesic, sedative, and hallucinogenic effects, combined with its lack of color, odor, and taste, making it difficult to detect when ingested.

The Microfluidics Cluster EHU research group, led by Ikerbasque research professor Lourdes Basabe-Desmonts, engineered this discreet and portable tool. As explained by lead author Isabel Poves, the device is immersed in a sample for a few seconds, and a color change indicating a positive or negative result is visible to the naked eye within approximately 10 minutes. The research is published in the journal *Talanta*.

Poves emphasized that the device aims to prevent drug-facilitated assault by enabling quick onsite detection before ingestion, addressing the limitations of traditional laboratory-dependent analytical techniques. This development is part of a larger project by the Microfluidics Cluster UPV/EHU group to create a single microfluidic platform capable of detecting multiple drugs, with a similar device for benzodiazepines already developed. Researchers note it is currently a laboratory-level prototype requiring further refinement.

What to watch: Further development and potential widespread availability of multi-drug detection devices.

Editor's note: The article provides a clear, concise, and accurate summary of the new microfluidic device and its research context.

This article is AI-generated and fact-gated. Original reporting: Phys.org