Researchers led by the University of Surrey created a new fingerprint method that determines if a person ingested or touched cocaine.

They used mass spectrometry, an analytical chemistry technique, to analyze fingerprints of drug patients attending treatment.

According to Science Daily, other fingerprint tests have only been able detect if a person has touched cocaine but couldn't detect if they've ingested the drug.

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Melanie Bailey, from the University, explained that people who ingested cocaine excretes benzoylecgonine and methylecgonine which were present in fingerprint residues.

NBCI said that benzoylecgonine and methylecgonine are usually found during urine tests of drug patients.

They explained that benzoylecgonine can be found on the fingerprint for 4 to 8 hours upon the administration of the drug. It slowly diminishes after several days.

Gas Chromatography Mass Spectometry is used in the presence of cocaine and benzoylecgonine in oral fluids.

On the other hand, methylecgonine is a common cocaine metabolite. It can be detected using sensitive tests like Enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique (EMIT)

EMIT is a common drug test used for preliminary drug screens that is prone to incorrect results because it can only detect drugs for a short period of time.

Bailey added that for this experiment they used Desorption Electrospray Ionisation (DESI), a beam solvent sprayed on a fingerprint, to determine the substances present on the patient.

She added that this method is not only non-invasive but also more hygienic than blood and saliva tests. It can't also be faked because the identity of the patient is captured in the fingerprint.

According to Analyst, the results showed exciting opportunities for a secure and non-invasive drug detection.

It explained that the mass spectrometry technique used offer high level of selectivity and tests only a small area of a fingerprint.

Bailey said that there were companies working for the creation of miniaturized mass spectrometers. It is possible that in the future there would be portable fingerprint drug tests.

She added that this world be a protection for the public and a safer drug test for its users.

Tagsingested, cocaine, detected, fingerprints