The Basque Microtechnologies Cooperative Research Centre, CIC microGUNE, works on the development of a skin patch to detect cocaine use in professional drivers. In contrast to the current techniques, this new device shall detect the drug by gathering perspiration after placing it on the driver's arm. This will allow a real-time analysis showing if cocaine has been used in a time frame ranging from 24 hours up to ten days (until skin cells regenerate), thus making it an effective tool to control bus drivers, carriers, etc.

The patch that CIC microGUNE is working on includes the lab-on-a-chip technology, bringing together all the elements of a laboratory on a minuscule 3 by 20 millimetre chip integrated in the patch. Once the sample has been obtained, the chip will be analysed in a small reading device that will send the information in real time to a Smartphone where the result will show in just two minutes. Should the result be positive, the patch includes a device to collect a second sample to confirm the analysis.

This system offers cost reduction coupled with a significant improvement of the current techniques, which are based on sample collection and further analysis in a laboratory.

This application is one of the goals of the European Project Labonfoil, lead by CIC microGUNE by means of its MicroFluidics Unit at Ikerlan-IK4; it aims to develop low-cost quick diagnosis tests in order to adapt them to different situations. In addition to the cocaine detection patch, the project addresses many other applications such as microdevices to monitor cancer patients, to detect foodborne pathogens or environmental contamination through marine algae analysis.

Labonfoil, coordinated by CIC microGUNE’s researcher Jesus Ruano, brings together 15 entities (research centres, businesses, technological centres, medical institutions, etc.) from eight different European countries including the Basque technological centre Gaiker-IK4 and the Basque Foundation for Health Innovation and Research (BIOEF). The project manages a budget of over 7 million Euros, making it one of the most important projects worldwide focusing on the lab-on-a-chip technology. The project, which began in 2008 and is expected to end in 2011, has European 7FP funding.