CHROMO SENS: HARNESSING CHROMOGENIC SANDWICH ELISA FOR COCAINE DETECTION ON PAPER-BASED BIOSENSORS.

In the context of modern society, the persistent challenge of narcotic drug trafficking and abuse remains a significant concern, profoundly impacting social adeptness and cognitive well-being. This study aims to devise innovative tools to mitigate the illicit movement of narcotic drugs across borders. Our approach utilises specific antibodies targeting cocaine antigens as the sensing element in a biosensor design. Employing an immunoassay framework, we operationalise an indirect ELISA based methodology, wherein cocaine antigens are immobilised onto a membrane and antibodies conjugated with Horse Radish Peroxidase (HRP) are introduced. Successful binding of the antibody to the antigen occurs exclusively in the presence of cocaine, leading to a colourimetric response whose intensity correlates with the cocaine concentration. Validation of this colour change is achieved through software analysis using ImageJ software. While our study focuses on qualitative analysis, our methodology paves the way for future quantitative assessments through dedicated reading devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]