Abstract
The use of the veterinary tranquilizer xylazine as an adulterant poses a major health problem in the world. Involuntary consumption of this drug (e.g. spiked beverages and suicidal attempts) leads to loss of consciousness and even death. In this work, a probe for the fast, visual detection of xylazine in alcoholic beverages is proposed. The technology is based on xylazine-specific molecularly imprinted polymers that were loaded with methylene blue to generate a dye-displacement assay. The assay displayed high selectivity when evaluated against common compounds present in beverages. Optimal assay conditions were found at pH ≥ 7 and alcohol contents <15 v/v%. Furthermore, the assay was evaluated in a real gin and tonic sample and displayed a linear regime of 1.5–4 mM and a LOD of 1.36 mM. Implementation of the assay in a portable device resulted in a much faster xylazine detection (under 30 s) in a spiked gin & tonic sample.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 110403 |
Journal | Food Control |
Volume | 161 |
Early online date | 1 Jul 2024 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jul 2024 |
Keywords
- Beverage adulteration
- Dye displacement assay
- Molecularly imprinted polymers
- Xylazine