Domestic researchers have developed a tattoo sticker that can instantly detect the drug GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate), which is commonly used in sexual crimes. GHB is a central nervous system depressant and is known as 'liquid ecstasy' because it can be mixed with drinks to incapacitate individuals.
Ko Kyung-cheol, head of the National Preclinical Trial Support Center at the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), and Kwon Oh-seok, a professor at Sungkyunkwan University, noted on the 23rd, 'We have developed a tattoo sticker that reacts within one second to trace amounts of GHB when applied to a suspicious liquid.' The research findings were published in the international journal 'ACS Sensors' on the same day.
Liquid ecstasy is a powerful drug that can cause loss of consciousness or memory with just a small amount of approximately 0.5 mg mixed into 1 mL of a beverage. It is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, making it widely used in sexual crimes, but it exits the body and becomes difficult to detect six hours after ingestion.
The research team created a thin tattoo sticker using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), a silicone rubber that stretches well, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a coating agent that dissolves well in water, and agarose gel in a paste-like form. The gel contains a substance that changes color upon contact with GHB. When this substance reacts with GHB, it changes color from yellow to red.
Experimental results showed that the tattoo sticker detected a GHB solution mixed at a concentration of 0.01 mg per 1 mL of water, as well as a 0.1 mg concentration of GHB mixed in various beverages such as whiskey, vodka, beer, soju, and coffee. It took less than one second to detect the drug by dipping a finger in the liquid and applying it to the sticker to see the color change.
Previous kits for detecting GHB already existed. However, they took more than 10 seconds to detect the drug and required ultraviolet (UV) equipment, making it difficult to use in real-time on-site. Additionally, the new tattoo sticker can react with the drug and maintain its color change for up to 30 days, allowing it to be used as evidence in investigations.
"The tattoo sticker we developed this time has the advantage of a shorter detection time compared to existing kits and does not react well to other stimuli, making it convenient to carry around," explained Ko Kyung-cheol, the corresponding author of the paper.
Kwon Oh-seok, a co-corresponding author, is known to be establishing a venture corporation to launch various products using the substance for detecting liquid ecstasy as a raw material. Ko noted, "We will develop products that can immediately protect individuals in environments threatened by GHB, working to safeguard the public from drugs."
References
ACS Sensors (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acssensors.4c03737