Download December STEM Fair

Identifying Adderall biomarkers in saliva
using chromophores
Introduction
Purpose
Adderall is one of the most commonly abused drugs. A
precise saliva test strip to identify an Adderall abuser
would be helpful for a situation in which quick diagnostic
is necessary.
Engineering Goal
The goal of this project is to make a saliva test strip
changes color to identify the presence of three Adderall
specific biomarkers
Background Information
• The invented test strips are made of antibody-dye
conjugates that bind to the drug
• When the conjugates is formed, a color is created
• Disadvantages of this Model
• Can only test for 1 antigen
• Tests for the presence of the whole drug
• (d-amphetamine)
• When a drug is orally taken, it is sugar coated to
the actual drug may not touch the mouth
b-endorphins is average
DOPAC levels are lower than
average
All antidepressant
drugs
MAO
inhibitor
Present in everyone
Adderall
Normal person who
ate the eye
drops used to dilate
the pupil
used in eye drops to dilate the pupil
4-Hydroxyamphetamine are higher than
average
Biomarker of
Interest
Biomarker and Adderall relationship
1 DOPAC
2 b-Endorphins
If DOPAC levels are
lower than average
-
-
3 4Hydroxyamphetamine
Thing that can be
measured
-
If Adderall increases, dopamine increases.
dopamine levels are high in athlete’s , and bendorphin levels increase as dopamine levels
increase
In Adderall abusers, b-endorphin levels and
dopamine levels are not proportional
If the b-endorphins
levels are the same
Direct metabolite of adderall
If 4Hydroxyamphetamine
levels are higher than
average
How it works
• a strip will be broken into three parts
• Each specific section of the test strip will correspond
to one of the three biomarkers
• Each section of the test strip will contain, that
biomarker’s specific chromophore
• When the saliva falls on a section of the test strip, it
will react with the chromophore to change colors
• The change of color intensity will be quantified
Using Chromophores
Results
Prototype :
4-Hydroxyamphetamine
Section
-
Strip will contain A
chromophore
Saliva ( 4-Hydroxyamphetamine
) will react with chromophore to
make a X color
3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid
aka DOPAC
Section
b-Endorphins
Section
-
Strip will contain B
chromophore
Saliva (b-Endorphins ) will react
with chromophore to make a Y
color
-
Strip will contain C chromophore
Saliva (3,4Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid ) will
react with chromophore to make
a Z color
b-Endorphins
Section
4-Hydroxyamphetamine
Section
DOPAC
Section
Color intensity:
Color intensity:
Color intensity:
x
y
z
4-Hydroxyamphetamine
Section
Color intensity:
#>x
b-Endorphins
Section
DOPAC
Section
Color intensity:
#=y
Color intensity:
#<z
CONTROL
Adderall
Positive
Type of Test
Input
Desired output
Control
Plain Saliva
Color intensity for each section will be
recorded ( this will be control color intensity
Other
If your on Paredrine or
Paremyd (only 1%
solution of
hydroxyamphetamine)
Add more 4-Hydroxyamphetamine,
and keep b-Endorphins and DOPAC
levels same
Higher
Other opioids
Make less DOPAC keep b-Endorphins
and 4-Hydroxyamphetamine same
Adderall Positive
More 4-Hydroxyamphetamine and
less DOPAC b-Endorphins is same
Same
b-Endorphins
4Hydroxyamphet DOPAC
amine
Same
4-Hydroxyamphetamine
b-Endorphins
Higher
Same
4Hydroxyamphet b-Endorphins
amine
Athlete
More b-Endorphins keep DOPAC and
4-Hydroxyamphetamine same
Higher
b-Endorphins
Lower
DOPAC
Lower
DOPAC
Same
4-Hydroxyamphetamine
DOPAC
Analysis
Conclusions
Applications:
- Can be used a mechanism to prevent Adderall Abuse
- Every student must be tested before they enter a
testing center (like ID checks)
Future Extensions of Project:
- Can be used for other drugs such as Cocaine/Heroine
- Replace the GC/MA methods