Smartphone swabs as an emerging tool for toxicology testing: a proof-of-concept study in a nightclub.

Smartphone swabs can detect a range of recreational drugs and medications, offering a new, non-invasive tool for monitoring drug use. In a nightclub study in Grenoble, France, 122 drug users had their smartphones swabbed and analyzed. The three main drugs found were MDMA (83 phones), cocaine (59), and THC (51). Sensitivity ranged from 73% to 97.2% and specificity from 71.8% to 88.1% for these three drugs compared with self-reported use. Other substances detected included ketamine, amphetamine, LSD, methamphetamine, heroin, and several new psychoactive substances, as well as medications like antidepressants and painkillers. Different drug-use patterns emerged between techno and trance events. The method shows acceptable test performance and could complement existing drug testing for harm reduction and toxico-epidemiology.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Smartphones have become everyday objects on which the accumulation of fingerprints is significant. In addition, a large proportion of the population regularly uses a smartphone, especially younger people. The objective of this study was to evaluate smartphones as a new matrix for toxico-epidemiology. This study was conducted during two separate events (techno and trance) at an electronic music nightclub in Grenoble, France. Data on reported drug use and whether drugs were snorted directly from the surface of the smartphone were collected using an anonymous questionnaire completed voluntarily by drug users. Then, a dry swab was rubbed for 20 s on all sides of the smartphone. The extract was analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry on a Xevo TQ-XS system (Waters). In total, 122 swabs from 122 drug users were collected. The three main drugs identified were MDMA (n=83), cocaine (n=59), and THC (n=51). Based on declarative data, sensitivity ranged from 73 to 97.2 % and specificity from 71.8 to 88.1 % for MDMA, cocaine, and THC. Other substances were identified such as cocaine adulterants, ketamine, amphetamine, LSD, methamphetamine, CBD, DMT, heroin, mescaline, and several NPS. Numerous medications were also identified, such as antidepressants, anxiolytics, hypnotics, and painkillers. Different use patterns were identified between the two events. This proof-of-concept study on 122 subjects shows that smartphone swab analysis could provide a useful and complementary tool for drug testing, especially for harm-reduction programs and toxico-epidemiolgy studies, with acceptable test performance, despite declarative data.