Point-of-care Testing for Illicit Drugs and Alcohol Intoxication in an Emergency

描述（由申请人提供）：这项小企业创新研究第一阶段提案的重点是开发一种基于化学传感器阵列的高速色谱分析系统，该系统专门用于检测乙醇和麻醉品。核心技术是微型气相色谱仪，该色谱仪将利用基于MEMS微电容传感器阵列和乙醇检测器的双检测器系统。MEMS传感器阵列将被涂覆几种化学选择性聚合物，用于检测麻醉剂，而透皮乙醇传感器将基于化学电阻或电化学电池。一种新型的热解吸器将内置在Mini-GC的入口，蒸发样品收集装置上的药物痕迹。在色谱分离和随后的双传感器阵列检测之前，将蒸发的分析物预先浓缩在相对吸附强度增加的吸附剂上。该分析仪器将提供一种低成本、微创、即时诊断平台，用于近实时检测药物痕量。拟议的药物筛选装置将替代目前最先进的色谱台式和免疫测定药物试验，其样品制备基于痕量检测，而不是基于对尿液或血液样品的分析。该诊断工具的预期应用之一是用于急诊科，在那里可以快速筛查患者的酒精和药物，这将为医生提供患者的初步评估，以促进治疗决策。例如，通过脚链监测透皮酒精的想法，以及通过离子迁移光谱对麻醉品的痕量检测，都已分别应用多年；然而，这两个概念以前从未结合在一个仪器中，并以低成本提供。海岸的Mini-GC双探测器系统将缩小这一差距。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I proposal focuses on the development of a high-speed chromatographic analysis system based on a chemical sensor array that is specialized for the detection of ethanol and narcotics. The core technology is a miniature gas chromatograph that will utilize a dual detector system based on a MEMS microcapacitor sensor array and an ethanol detector. The MEMS sensor array will be coated with several chemoselective polymers optimized for the detection of narcotics while the transdermal ethanol sensor will be based on a chemiresistor or an electrochemical cell. A novel thermal desorber will be built into the inlet of the Mini-GC that vaporizes traces of drugs off a sampling collection device. The vaporized analytes are preconcentrated on a sorbent with increased relative adsorption strength for the analytes of interest prior to the chromatographic separation and subsequent detection with the dual sensor array. The analytical instrument will provide a low-cost, minimal invasive, point-of-care diagnostic platform for the detection of drug traces in near-real time. The proposed drug screening device will be an alternative to state of the art chromatographic desktop and immunoassay drug tests, with the sample preparation being based on trace detection rather than the analysis of a urine or blood sample. One of the intended applications of the diagnostic tool is for an emergency department where patients can be quickly screened for alcohol and drugs, which will provide physicians with an initial assessment of patients to facilitate the treatment decision making. The idea of monitoring transdermal alcohol by means of an ankle bracelet for instance, and the trace detection of narcotics by ion mobility spectroscopy have both been applied separately for years; however, the two concepts have never before been combined in one instrument and made available at low cost. Seacoast's Mini-GC with the dual detector system will close this gap. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Persons adversely affected by drugs of abuse comprise a substantial proportion of the patients that seek care in emergency departments. Seacoast Science proposes a fast, point-of-care drug screen test that will provide physicians with an initial assessment of patients to facilitate the treatment decision making. The test can be applied to every patient seeking emergency care, since the test is minimal invasive by collecting traces of narcotics and transdermal alcohol from a patient's skin, rather than requiring a blood or urine sample.