[Shinto732]

Hello, I am a student at newcastle university doing a buisness enterprise module. We are looking into a chemistry/pharmaceutical premise.
We have been given the task of setting up a buisness and all that that entails.
I was wondering if it was possible to ask you a question about our buisness (Indicator Straw).
The premise is that to reduce drink spiking occurances we implement a straw with built in technology that changes colour when it comes into contact with a foreign substance, mainly the three main types of drugs, Ketamine, GHB and Rohypnol.

So the question is this; How if possible would the product work (reaction wise), and what would be the problems attributed to this (apart from cost), do you think this is a good idea?

Many thanks, for any help provided,

Yours,
Richard James Neale
MSc REEM

[JGK]

One of the biggest problems I could forsee is the possibility of harmful chemicals from the test system in the straw contaminating the drink and poisoning the drinker.

[nikium]

It's all about functional groups: Here are the structure of the compounds of interest:
Ketimine:
Rohypnol:
GHB:

They all have a ketone functionality. It is certainly possible to develop a color-changing ketone test, provided you make this occur in such a way that the reagent doesn't get into the drink. Another problem is that artificial flavors and colors may also contain ketones. It's possible depending on what's in the glass, and of course, it will never be the case where one indicator is used for absolutely everything.

[Dan]

They all have a ketone functionality.

Not true. Ketimine has ketone functionality, but Rohypnol and GHB contain amide and carboxylic acid functionality, respectively.

Drinks are generally complex mixtures of different compounds containing many different compounds with different functionality. A test that detects one functional group will be far too broad spectrum to be of use. I am willing to bet that a delicious pint of foaming nut-brown real ale will test positive for a wide range of functional groups. The brewing process produces some very complex mixtures.