Electrochemistry and nanostructured electrocatalysts for tackling substance abuse.

Substance abuse remains one of the global health and socioeconomic problems. It is one of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, i.e., SDG 3: "Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages". One of the goals within SDG 3.5 is to "Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol". Specifically, SDG 3d recognizes the need to "strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks". The key challenge to early warning, risk reduction and management of substance abuse is early and accurate detection. Electrochemical techniques allow for integration in hand-held devices for rapid detection of drugs and alcohol. However, the state-of-the-art fuel cellbased breath alcohol sensor (FCBrAS) still adopts expensive and old technology of the 70's (use of high amount of platinum electrocatalyst) despite the advances in materials electrochemical science and nanotechnology. The objective of this project is to bridge gaps in knowledge in electrochemistry of illicit drugs in oral fluids and alcohols, innovation in the FCBrAS to reduce mass-loading of expensive precious metals, and enhance selectivity and sensitivity in biological fluids.

Keywords:ELECTROANALYSIS, ELECTROCATALYSIS, ILLICIT DRUGS

Disciplines:Electrochemical methods

Project type:Collaboration project