The Securetec^® DrugWipe 5^® test kit, when properly deployed, can detect drugs in the following drug families: 

1. Marijuana / Hashish (THC)

2. Cocaine / Crack

3. Opiates / Heroin / Oxycodone / Morphine / Methadone

4. Amphetamines

5. Methamphetamines / Ecstasy

The above figure shows the major components of a DrugWipe^® kit.  The wiping element of the DrugWipe^® is designed for the collection of small molecules from skin or non-porous surfaces.  The collection step itself consists of a sequence of wipes across a the surface.  Next, the sample is transferred to a lateral flow immunoassay detection element.  The design of the wiping and the detection element ensures automatic and efficient sample transfer.

The photograph below shows a test result for a 5-panel DrugWipe 5^® test.  The test is positive for Cannabis (Marijuana or Hashish), Amphetamines/Methamphetamines, Cocaine, and Opiates.

 5-panel DrugWipe^® test - positive for Cannabis, Amphetamines,

Methamphetamines, Cocaine and Opiates.

Surface Test residue Cut-Off & Sensitivity Specifications

The lowest sensitivity of the DrugWipe is as listed in the following table (sensitivity is with a damp wiping pad).  If the wiping pad is dry the sensitivity is less by a factor of approximately 100.  Detailed Sensitivity data are contained in later chapters of this manual.  Sensitivity data is too detailed for customers to understand and is contained herein for background information only. 

Although extremely sensitive, DrugWipe^® is engineered to give a negative test on common articles such as currency, unless recently contaminated.  Tests have shown that average paper currency is contaminated with low amounts of drug residue (low nanogram or high picogram), while recently contaminated currency is contaminated with high amounts of drug residue (over 100 nanograms).

References & Studies Involving DrugWipe 

1. Kuijten, C. (DRUID Project), Evaluation of oral fluid Screening devices by TISPOL to Harmonise European police Requirements (ESTHER), November 2009

2. Aberl F., VanDine R., Forensic Science and Medicine:  Drugs of Abuse:  Body Fluid Testing, Humana Press, April 2005, Chapter 10, pgs 161-180.

3. Aberl F., Scheibenzuber M., Sambursky R.F., VanDine R.W., Sambursky J.S., Method for the rapid diagnosis of targets in human body fluids, US 11/052 748 and PCT/WO 2005/075982.

4. Aberl F., Scheibenzuber M., Sambursky R.F., VanDine R.W., Sambursky J.S., Method to increase specificity and/or accuracy of lateral flow immunoassays, US 11/224 298.

5. Aberl F., Zimmermann R., VanDine R., Drugwipe II – A Novel Testing Device for Invisible Traces of Drugs on Surfaces, in Sweat and Saliva, Proceedings, ONDCP Conference 2003, San Diego, CA.

6. Aberl F., Zimmermann R., VanDine R., DrugCon – Evaluation Results Under Near Field Conditions, Proceedings, ONDCP Conference 2003, San Diego, CA.

7. Aberl F., Zimmermann R., VanDine R., Pilon P., Chauhan M.S., DrugCon – A Biochemistry Based Container Test System for Illegal Narcotics, Proceedings, ONDCP 2001 (San Diego) Conference – “Counterdrug Research and Development:  Technologies for the Next Decade”, p. 580-588.

8.  Aberl, F., Verstraete A., Roadside Testing Assessment - ROSITA - A European Project for the Evaluation of Roadside Screening Devices for Drugs-of-Abuse, 2001 ONDCP International Technology Symposium, June 25-28, 2001.

9.  Pacifici, R., Farré, M.., Pichini, S., Ortuño, J., Roset, P., Zuccaro, P., Segura, J., and de la Torre, R., Sweat Testing of MDMA with the Drugwipe® Analytical Device: A Controlled Study with Two Volunteers”, Journal of Analytical Toxicology, March 2001, pp. 144-146.

10. Samyn N., Viaene B., van Haeren C., On-Site Testing of Saliva for Drugs of Abuse in Suspected Drug Users with Drugwipe and Determination of Drug Concentrations in Saliva and Urine by GC/MS”, paper presented at the TIAFT Conference in Albuquerque, NM, October 5-9, 1998.

11. Vincent F, Eysseric H., Mallaret M., Cuidard L., Bessard G., Is Drugwipe Test Relevant to Salivary Psychotropic Drugs Detection?, pp. 1371-1374.

12. Kintz P., Cirimele V., Ludes B., Codeine Testing in Sweat and Saliva with the Drugwipe, Int J Legal Med, 1997.

13. Kintz P., Ludes B., Is Sweat a Suitable Specimen for DUI Testing?, published for the International Council on Alcohol, Drugs & Traffic Safety by CERMT and Proc. 14^th Int’l Conference on Alcohol, Drugs & Traffic Safety, pp. 496-501.

14.  Aberl F., Bonenberger J., Sachs H., Drugwipe - Evaluation for the Detection of Illegal Narcotics in Sweat, Poster presented at the Xth Mosbacher Symposium, April 18-19, 1997, Mosbach, Germany.

15.  Aberl F., Bonenberger J., Droste H., Linke S., Goerlach-Graw A., Sachs H., Verfahren zum Nachweis von Analyten aur einer Oberflache, German Patent #DE 196 22 503, submitted 05.06.1996, accepted 11.12.1997.

16. Zimmermann R., Report to US Customs Regarding Drugwipe Effectiveness for German Customs (Deutsches Zollkriminalamt – ZKA) Field Operations – Classified Referat 14, Koln (Cologne), Germany.     

17. Aberl F., McLean C.,   Trace Detection for Counterdrug Operations of Law Enforcement, Proc. ONDCP International Technology Symposium: Harnessing Technology to Support the National Drug Control Strategy, August 18-22, 1997, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

18. Chauhan M., Lawrence A.,  Cocaine and Heroin Drugwipes - Laboratory Tests, Research and Development Division, Laboratory and Scientific Services Directorate, Revenue Canada, Ottawa, Canada  May 1996.

19. Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center - US Office of National Drug Control Policy,  Narcotics Detection Technology Assessment - Round 3, September 9-10, 1996, Houston, Texas, USA  pp. 7-15.

20. Aberl F., Bonenberger J., Berg R., Zimmermann R., Traces of Illegal Drugs on Body Surfaces – Indicator for Consumption or Dealing, Proc. of the SPIE Conference Human Detection and Positive Identification:  Methods and Technologies, November 19-21, 1996, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, Vol. 2932, pp. 16-26.

21.  Securetec GmbH, Instruction Sheet for the drug detection wipe test Drugwipe

22. Goerlach-Graw A. and Carstensen C.A., Rapid Screening Test for the Detection of Drugs of Abuse in Urine, Poster presented at the TIAFT/SOFT Joint Congress, October 31 – November 4, 1994, Tampa, FL, USA.

23. Hoglund D., Su C., Jadamec R., Lucero D., Pilon P., Neudorfl P., Drolet g., Kunz. T., Ulvick S., Roche C., Haung E., Demirgian J., Rigdon S., Shier P., US Customs Service Performance Assessment of Cocaine/Heroin Detection Systems, Proc. ONDCP Counterdrug Law Enforcement: Applied Technology for Improved Operational Effectiveness, October 24-27, 1995, Nashua, New Hampshire, USA, Part 1, pp. 1-11 - 1-18.

24. Zimmermann R., Bonenberger J., Hilpert R., Binder F., Klein C., Droste H., Goerlach-Graw A., Scheller F., Makower A., Biosensor Technology for the Detection of Illegal Drugs, Proc. ONDCP Counterdrug Law Enforcement: Applied Technology for Improved Operational Effectiveness, October 24-27, 1995, Nashua, New Hampshire, USA, Part 2, pp. 12-35 - 12-39.