Researchers have developed a new magnetic resonance technique which can be used to detect fentanyl inside sealed, opaque packages. The method could be employed throughout airports, post offices, or border crossings to offer accurate fentanyl detection.
The method, outlined in a recent publication in PNAS Nexus, relies on the use of Nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) spectroscopy to aid in detecting the target nucleus. The NQR spectroscopy technique uses a radio frequency pulse tuned to the transition energy of the target nucleus in fentanyl, and if target nuclei are present, receives a detectable magnetic signature.
In fentanyl nitrogen and chlorine isotopes are abundant and provide key target nuclei for fentanyl detection.
While the method does have some limitations including thick metallic wrapping and the close proximity required for testing, the method provides a low-cost scalable approach which could be used to detect and divert large amounts of the illicit drug.