Spray-based visual indicator of opioids for the rapid and effective decontamination of large areas

Triton Systems, Inc. will collaborate with The University of Massachusetts Lowell to develop a spray-based technology for the rapid, visual identification of opioids, turning contaminated areas from nondescript white powders to a brightly colored spots for easy recognition with the naked eye. The technology leverages molecular recognition units that bind strongly and specifically to a variety of opioids and that, once bound, initiate a cascade of reactions that result in a dramatic color change. During the Phase I, Triton and our partners will formulate the molecular recognition technology into a colloidal solution that is stable and that can be dispersed using conventional sprayers. The effort will aim to achieve a proof-of-concept of the technology, by determining the limit of detection and detection times of various opioids on surfaces, establishing through control experiments that the visible response is selective to opioids, and demonstrating that the approach is scalable to large-volume manufacturing.