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Original Publication Date
2024
Document Type
Presentation
Abstract
Driving under the influence of marijuana increases crash risk by 25%, yet current THC detection methods are invasive and slow. This research develops a low-cost, 3D-printed breathalyzer that utilizes colorimetric dyes and image analysis to quickly and non-invasively detect THC at roadside stops, providing results in approximately 30 minutes.
Transcription
Next, we have Savannah Allinson. Her research is on the development of a Delta-9 colorimetric marijuana breathalyzer utilizing 3D printed manufacturing. She's from the College of Humanities and Sciences, and her advisor is Dr. Emanuele Alves. What if I told you that 30% of Virginians think that those driving under the influence of marijuana are safer drivers? Reality is the opposite. driving under its influence increases your risk of crashing by 25%, not to mention when combined with alcohol or mobile devices. Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the main psychoactive compound derived from the marijuana plant. The main methods for its detection are often invasive and time intensive, requiring a blood or urine sample, as well as additional time to send that sample to the lab. Due to this, the need for a quick and non-invasive method for detection, similar to an alcohol breathalyzer has become clear. Our project had three main goals. First, we needed to be able to actually collect the breath sample from the user. To do this, we have a system very similar to an inhaler equipped with a spacer, but instead of pushing medication out, it draws the air in, increasing our sample yield. Within the spacer sits a disk, which brings me to our second goal, retaining the sample. For this, we settled on a one-inch 3D printed disk with a solution of fast blue BB and ballistics gel on top of it, which forms a gel layer on top of the disc. Fast Blue is a family of dyes that reacts color metrically with cannabinoids which means it changes color when in contact with them. Our disc turns from the yellow color you can see on the screen to an orange or red color depending on the concentration of cannabinoids within the user. Our main goal is the detection of THC as driving under its influence is illegal but there are other cannabinoids such as Cannabidiol or CBD that are not illegal and increasingly popular in today's market. it. Thankfully, FastBlueBB fluoresces when in contact with THC, but not CBD, allowing us to differentiate them. Finally, we needed a way to analyze and quantify our results. What we have is essentially a low-cost single board computer with an image processing software called ImageJ installed on it. What ImageJ allows us to do is basically quantify color change. So we can take an image of our disk before and after sample collection and we can analyze the depth of the color change. This gives us a number that we can correlate to the amount of cannabinoids within the user. This system will allow for roadside stops similar to an alcohol breathalyzer, detecting THC in drivers in around 30 minutes as opposed to multiple hours with the current system, allowing for a more efficient application of the law. Thank you.
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Transcription
Comments
10th Annual VCU 3MT® Competition, held on October 4, 2024.