Indian Scientists Develop Inexpensive Sensor To Detect Date Rape Drug

Kolkata: An ultrasensitive paper chip developed by Indian scientists can detect minute amounts of ketamine, a date rape drug, in a jiffy, in biological samples as well as in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, a researcher said on Wednesday.

It has the potential to make drinks safer.

Existing sensors take time to analyse samples, need expert personnel and are expensive.

Ketamine induces a trance-like state while providing pain relief, sedation, and memory loss. The paper chip can zero in on ketamine in samples that scale down to one millionth of a litre.

"Therefore, this technology is non-expensive, requires microlitres of sample and facile paper chips. We have used nanoparticles for amplification of sensing signal," Narang said.

The paper chip was fabricated from zeolites nanoflakes and graphene-oxide nanocrystal.

The study is published in Biosensors and Bioelectronics journal and involves researchers from Amity Institute of Physiotherapy, Amity University, Noida, and Department of Biochemistry, MD University, Rohtak, Haryana.

--IANS