Combining
sensor technologies with electrochemical processes offering quick analytical
results may be a gamechanger for the detection of trace levels of drugs and
their precursors at the borders. BorderSens is an EU project aiming to innovate
and produce light, hand-held but highly accurate electrosensors allowing for
rapid identification of illicit substances, even in faint concentrations.
Frontex Research and Innovation team have just participated in the project’s
closing symposium in Antwerp.
BorderSens symposium
On 21 November 2023,
Frontex Research and Innovation participated in the BorderSens project symposium – the last event of a EU
research and innovation action aiming at developing portable wireless solutions
with the capability to quickly test for different types of drugs, with high
accuracy and reduced margin of error
Organised on
the premises of the University of Antwerp, the symposium included a
demonstration of the three devices developed within BorderSens
for the detection of illicit drugs:
- the BorderSens array, which contains
six electrochemical sensors. When a sample is measured with all sensors, a
unique electrochemical fingerprint is recorded. By means of an AI-based
algorithm, the six signals are analysed to automatically identify the
illicit drugs in the samples (if any).
- The single sensor device, which allows the automatic
detection of different drugs.
- The nanoMIPs (molecularly imprinted polimers) sensor,
which allows to detect non-electroactive drugs such as amphetamines. The
sensor is designed to be very selective to a certain target and will work
at different pHs and temperatures.
The way forward
Once
the prototypes advance to higher technology readiness levels which make them
marketable, they will have the potential to be used in the operational
environment (e.g., at border crossing points). Hand-held, easy to use, not
expensive, fast, and accurate technologies are always needed in the operational
field, for different lines of work.
Started in 2019 and
finalised in 2023, the BorderSens project brought together universities,
industry and numerous end users.
