Forensic electrochemistry: sensing “molecule of murder” atropine

15-Jan-2013 - United Kingdom

A disposable and cost effective electrochemical sensor that can detect atropine in a drink has been made by scientists from the UK and Brazil. Atropine is a plant-derived drug that can be used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and exposure to nerve agents. However, it is also used as a poisoning agent, hidden in food or drink to hide its bitter taste.

Current methods for determining atropine include high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, but these methods are expensive, require sample preparation, and are not very portable. Here, a sensor has been designed using screen printed graphite electrodes, without the requirement of pre-treatment or surface modification, and tested on a cola drink spiked with atropine.

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Gas chromatography is an essential method in analytical chemistry for the separation and analysis of volatile compounds. Due to its high resolution and sensitivity, it has become firmly established in areas such as environmental analysis, food chemistry or forensic science. GC provides precise and reliable results and enables deep insights into the chemical composition of samples.

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Topic World Chromatography

Topic World Chromatography

Chromatography enables us to separate, identify and thus understand complex substances. Whether in the food industry, pharmaceutical research or environmental analysis - chromatography opens up a treasure trove of information about the composition and quality of our samples. Discover the fascinating world of chromatography!

70+ products
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