Spanish researchers revolutionize THC detection in saliva with innovative system

The universities of Córdoba and Valencia have collaborated to create a revolutionary technique for THC detection in saliva.

This technique is not only more effective than current methods, but it requires only a tiny saliva sample—a significant advance in cannabis detection technology.

A simplified and effective analytical method

Researchers from the group at Affordable and sustainable sample preparation the’University of Córdoba (UCO) and GICAPC Group the’University of Valencia (UV) have collaborated on the development of a technique that simplifies the sample processing procedure.

The main innovation lies in reducing the number of steps required for the analysis from five to two, which significantly speeds up the process. As explained by Marisol Cárdenas, a professor at UCO, said, «We’re reducing a process that would normally take five steps to just two.».

The technique uses the dispersive sorption microextraction using a miniaturized stirring bar, a method that employs a material with magnetic properties to extract THC saliva.

According to Jaime Millán Santiago, a researcher at UCO, explains that the process «involves adding a material capable of extracting the analytes from the sample (in this case, tetrahydrocannabinol from saliva) that possesses magnetic properties.».

When a small magnet is placed in the saliva sample, magnetic agitation creates a vortex that disperses the particles, which then interact with the THC molecules. When the agitation stops, the THC-laden particles are once again attracted to the magnet, allowing them to be extracted.

After the initial sample preparation, the next step is to transfer the magnet coated with THC particles to a stainless steel needle, a readily available and inexpensive material. A high voltage is applied, and an organic solvent breaks the bond between the extraction material and the THC, creating an electrospray that is then introduced into a mass spectrometer. This method enables accurate and sensitive detection of THC in just a few minutes.

The teacher Rafael Lucena, from UCO, notes that «this technology could already be integrated into routine laboratory analysis methods.».

The system stands out for its sensitivity, precision, and accuracy, making it a reliable tool for detecting cannabis.

The study was published in the journal Analytical Chemistry.