Field-Portable Device for Detection of Controlled and Psychoactive Substances from e-Cigarettes

Matthew Gardner; Celeste Bowden; Shoaib Manzoor; Gyles E. Cozier; Rachael C. Andrews; Sam Craft; Martine Skumlien; Peter Sunderland; Tom Tooth; Peter Collins; Alexander Power; Tom S.F. Haines; Tom P. Freeman; Jennifer Scott; Oliver B. Sutcliffe; Richard W. Bowman; Stephen M. Husbands; Christopher R. Pudney

doi:10.1021/acsomega.4c08614

Field-Portable Device for Detection of Controlled and Psychoactive Substances from e-Cigarettes

Matthew Gardner, Celeste Bowden, Shoaib Manzoor, Gyles E. Cozier, Rachael C. Andrews, Sam Craft, Martine Skumlien, Peter Sunderland, Tom Tooth, Peter Collins, Alexander Power, Tom S.F. Haines, Tom P. Freeman, Jennifer Scott, Oliver B. Sutcliffe, Richard W. Bowman^*, Stephen M. Husbands^*, Christopher R. Pudney^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are novel psychoactive substances (NPS) that are highly potent and associated with a range of severe toxicities. SC use, which is common in UK prisons and homeless communities, typically involves combustion of SC-soaked herb or paper material. Recently, e-cigarettes (or vapes) have emerged as popular delivery vehicles for SCs, and consumption among the general population has risen significantly. SC-containing e-cigarettes (or e-liquids) are typically sold as imitation cannabis-containing products and carry increased risk of adverse outcomes including psychosis, seizure, and cardiac arrest. Numerous incidences of overdose have been reported in UK schools. SCs cannot be identified in complex e-liquid matrices using current field-portable detection technologies, preventing the rapid screening of suspicious products. Herein, we report on the design and development of a device that can rapidly detect SCs and other relevant drugs in sealed e-cigarettes and e-liquids. We describe and implement a method to artificially actuate an e-cigarette, simultaneously depositing e-liquid vapor onto a physical matrix. We couple this extraction method with fluorescence-based detection to create a rapid and generic test for SC-containing e-cigarettes. In addition, we expand the potential of the detection modality by leveraging the photochemical degradation of THC and nitazenes on a solid matrix as a means for their detection from e-liquids and sealed e-cigarettes. We show that SCs, delta-9-THC and nitazenes can be detected in e-liquid from concentrations 0.2, 5, and 1.5 mg/mL, respectively.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	7839-7847
Number of pages	9
Journal	ACS Omega
Volume	10
Issue number	8
Early online date	17 Feb 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.4c08614
Publication status	Published - 4 Mar 2025

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10.1021/acsomega.4c08614Licence: CC BY

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Gardner, M., Bowden, C., Manzoor, S., Cozier, G. E., Andrews, R. C., Craft, S., Skumlien, M., Sunderland, P., Tooth, T., Collins, P., Power, A., Haines, T. S. F., Freeman, T. P., Scott, J., Sutcliffe, O. B., Bowman, R. W., Husbands, S. M., & Pudney, C. R. (2025). Field-Portable Device for Detection of Controlled and Psychoactive Substances from e-Cigarettes. ACS Omega, 10(8), 7839-7847. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.4c08614

@article{b45a72ab5c7c4b8faba66ce481e1efb0,

title = "Field-Portable Device for Detection of Controlled and Psychoactive Substances from e-Cigarettes",

abstract = "Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are novel psychoactive substances (NPS) that are highly potent and associated with a range of severe toxicities. SC use, which is common in UK prisons and homeless communities, typically involves combustion of SC-soaked herb or paper material. Recently, e-cigarettes (or vapes) have emerged as popular delivery vehicles for SCs, and consumption among the general population has risen significantly. SC-containing e-cigarettes (or e-liquids) are typically sold as imitation cannabis-containing products and carry increased risk of adverse outcomes including psychosis, seizure, and cardiac arrest. Numerous incidences of overdose have been reported in UK schools. SCs cannot be identified in complex e-liquid matrices using current field-portable detection technologies, preventing the rapid screening of suspicious products. Herein, we report on the design and development of a device that can rapidly detect SCs and other relevant drugs in sealed e-cigarettes and e-liquids. We describe and implement a method to artificially actuate an e-cigarette, simultaneously depositing e-liquid vapor onto a physical matrix. We couple this extraction method with fluorescence-based detection to create a rapid and generic test for SC-containing e-cigarettes. In addition, we expand the potential of the detection modality by leveraging the photochemical degradation of THC and nitazenes on a solid matrix as a means for their detection from e-liquids and sealed e-cigarettes. We show that SCs, delta-9-THC and nitazenes can be detected in e-liquid from concentrations 0.2, 5, and 1.5 mg/mL, respectively.",

author = "Matthew Gardner and Celeste Bowden and Shoaib Manzoor and Cozier, {Gyles E.} and Andrews, {Rachael C.} and Sam Craft and Martine Skumlien and Peter Sunderland and Tom Tooth and Peter Collins and Alexander Power and Haines, {Tom S.F.} and Freeman, {Tom P.} and Jennifer Scott and Sutcliffe, {Oliver B.} and Bowman, {Richard W.} and Husbands, {Stephen M.} and Pudney, {Christopher R.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.",

year = "2025",

month = mar,

day = "4",

doi = "10.1021/acsomega.4c08614",

language = "English",

volume = "10",

pages = "7839--7847",

journal = "ACS Omega",

issn = "2470-1343",

publisher = "American Chemical Society",

number = "8",

}

Gardner, M, Bowden, C, Manzoor, S, Cozier, GE, Andrews, RC, Craft, S , Skumlien, M, Sunderland, P, Tooth, T, Collins, P, Power, A, Haines, TSF, Freeman, TP, Scott, J, Sutcliffe, OB, Bowman, RW, Husbands, SM & Pudney, CR 2025, 'Field-Portable Device for Detection of Controlled and Psychoactive Substances from e-Cigarettes', ACS Omega, vol. 10, no. 8, pp. 7839-7847. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.4c08614

TY - JOUR

T1 - Field-Portable Device for Detection of Controlled and Psychoactive Substances from e-Cigarettes

AU - Gardner, Matthew

AU - Bowden, Celeste

AU - Manzoor, Shoaib

AU - Cozier, Gyles E.

AU - Andrews, Rachael C.

AU - Craft, Sam

AU - Skumlien, Martine

AU - Sunderland, Peter

AU - Tooth, Tom

AU - Collins, Peter

AU - Power, Alexander

AU - Haines, Tom S.F.

AU - Freeman, Tom P.

AU - Scott, Jennifer

AU - Sutcliffe, Oliver B.

AU - Bowman, Richard W.

AU - Husbands, Stephen M.

AU - Pudney, Christopher R.

PY - 2025/3/4

Y1 - 2025/3/4

N2 - Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are novel psychoactive substances (NPS) that are highly potent and associated with a range of severe toxicities. SC use, which is common in UK prisons and homeless communities, typically involves combustion of SC-soaked herb or paper material. Recently, e-cigarettes (or vapes) have emerged as popular delivery vehicles for SCs, and consumption among the general population has risen significantly. SC-containing e-cigarettes (or e-liquids) are typically sold as imitation cannabis-containing products and carry increased risk of adverse outcomes including psychosis, seizure, and cardiac arrest. Numerous incidences of overdose have been reported in UK schools. SCs cannot be identified in complex e-liquid matrices using current field-portable detection technologies, preventing the rapid screening of suspicious products. Herein, we report on the design and development of a device that can rapidly detect SCs and other relevant drugs in sealed e-cigarettes and e-liquids. We describe and implement a method to artificially actuate an e-cigarette, simultaneously depositing e-liquid vapor onto a physical matrix. We couple this extraction method with fluorescence-based detection to create a rapid and generic test for SC-containing e-cigarettes. In addition, we expand the potential of the detection modality by leveraging the photochemical degradation of THC and nitazenes on a solid matrix as a means for their detection from e-liquids and sealed e-cigarettes. We show that SCs, delta-9-THC and nitazenes can be detected in e-liquid from concentrations 0.2, 5, and 1.5 mg/mL, respectively.

AB - Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are novel psychoactive substances (NPS) that are highly potent and associated with a range of severe toxicities. SC use, which is common in UK prisons and homeless communities, typically involves combustion of SC-soaked herb or paper material. Recently, e-cigarettes (or vapes) have emerged as popular delivery vehicles for SCs, and consumption among the general population has risen significantly. SC-containing e-cigarettes (or e-liquids) are typically sold as imitation cannabis-containing products and carry increased risk of adverse outcomes including psychosis, seizure, and cardiac arrest. Numerous incidences of overdose have been reported in UK schools. SCs cannot be identified in complex e-liquid matrices using current field-portable detection technologies, preventing the rapid screening of suspicious products. Herein, we report on the design and development of a device that can rapidly detect SCs and other relevant drugs in sealed e-cigarettes and e-liquids. We describe and implement a method to artificially actuate an e-cigarette, simultaneously depositing e-liquid vapor onto a physical matrix. We couple this extraction method with fluorescence-based detection to create a rapid and generic test for SC-containing e-cigarettes. In addition, we expand the potential of the detection modality by leveraging the photochemical degradation of THC and nitazenes on a solid matrix as a means for their detection from e-liquids and sealed e-cigarettes. We show that SCs, delta-9-THC and nitazenes can be detected in e-liquid from concentrations 0.2, 5, and 1.5 mg/mL, respectively.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=86000372208&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1021/acsomega.4c08614

DO - 10.1021/acsomega.4c08614

M3 - Article

C2 - 40060840

SN - 2470-1343

VL - 10

SP - 7839

EP - 7847

JO - ACS Omega

JF - ACS Omega

IS - 8

ER -

Field-Portable Device for Detection of Controlled and Psychoactive Substances from e-Cigarettes

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