Anion exchange polymer modified electrodes for detection of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC): a potential electrochemical sensor for point-of-care and roadside testing
Highlights
- A simple, affordable, portable, and stable electrochemical method is presented for detecting low concentrations of Δ9-THC (10–1000 ng mL−1).
- The modified Gii-Sense electrodes yielded a 13× response (71.2 μA cm−2) compared to the pristine electrodes.
Abstract
The effect of a polybenzimidazolium anion exchange polymer on improving sensitivity and selectivity toward the electrochemical detection of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) has been investigated.
Herein we report a rapid, inexpensive and stable approach to detecting 10–1000 ng mL−1 of Δ9-THC in buffered solutions and human saliva.
Introduction
Cannabis, commonly known as marijuana, is increasing in use worldwide, with over 192 million users [1], who use it not only for recreational but also for medicinal purposes.
In 2023, 7.6% of the UK population, ∼2.5 million people, reported using cannabis in the last 12 months [2]. Over one-third of people aged 16 to 59 years who used cannabis in the last year consumed the drug more than once a month, with 8.3% using it in their everyday lives. The frequent use of cannabis has increased to over 8% since 2020 for those aged 30 to 34 years.
Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) is the psychoactive component in cannabis; because of its high lipophilicity it can easily cross over the blood–brain barrier and interact with the central nervous system (CNS) cannabinoid receptors. This leads to several psychological effects such as euphoria, relaxation, decreased concentration, somnolence, temporal distortions, and hallucinations.
Electrochemical sensors offer the possibility of low cost, rapid, high selectivity and sensitivity, and low sample volume. Electrochemical sensors are simple and portable devices for detecting Δ9-THC in biological fluids such as saliva.