A research team led by Vicente Martí-Centelles at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) has developed a chemical sensor that can rapidly detect scopolamine, a drug often associated with cases of chemical submission and sexual assault. The sensor produces a visible fluorescent signal in under five minutes and is designed to work without complex equipment, opening the door to wider use in preventive, forensic, and field settings.
Montà‐González, G., Garrido, E., Climent, E., Vicent, C., Martínez‐Máñez, R., & Martí‐Centelles, V. (2025). Molecular Cages as Probes in Indicator Displacement Assays: The Case of Scopolamine Detection. Angewandte Chemie International Edition. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202523575
Scopolamine is a naturally derived compound with legitimate medical uses, including treatment for motion sickness and postoperative nausea. However, its sedative and disorienting effects have also made it a substance of concern in drug-facilitated crimes. Detecting scopolamine outside of laboratory environments is difficult, particularly when it is dissolved in beverages or present at very low concentrations.
Vicente Martí-Centelles at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) stated,
“We are currently working on the development of a device that incorporates the sensor for the detection of scopolamine in various environments such as drinks, urine, saliva, etc.”
The UPV-led study, addresses this challenge through a sensor based on molecular recognition rather than traditional analytical instrumentation. Instead of relying on chromatography or mass spectrometry, the system uses a specially designed chemical structure that responds directly to the presence of the drug.
At the core of the sensor is a so-called molecular cage, a synthetic structure engineered to selectively bind scopolamine molecules. When scopolamine enters the cage, it triggers a chemical displacement process that releases a fluorescent compound. The resulting light signal is easy to observe and increases in intensity as the concentration of scopolamine rises.
According to Ramón Martínez Máñez, director of UPV’s Interuniversity Research Institute for Molecular Recognition and Technological Development (IDM), this design allows both detection and rough quantification. The stronger the fluorescence, the higher the estimated amount of drug present. Because the reaction occurs quickly and does not require trained operators, the system could be deployed in environments where rapid decisions are needed.
One of the technical advances of the work lies in the cage’s chemical architecture. The arrangement of functional groups within the structure enables highly selective interaction with scopolamine while limiting interference from other common substances found in drinks or biological fluids. Giovanni Montà-González, lead author of the study, notes that this selectivity is key to detecting very small quantities that might otherwise go unnoticed.
The project brought together multiple research units at UPV, including groups focused on nanomedicine and sensor development, as well as collaborators from Spain’s national bioengineering research network and scientific instrumentation facilities at Universitat Jaume I. This combination of synthetic chemistry, materials design, and analytical validation allowed the team to test the sensor under realistic conditions.
Beyond proof of concept, the researchers are now working toward integrating the sensor into portable devices suitable for use with drinks, saliva, or urine samples. Eva Garrido and Estela Climent, co-authors of the study, indicate that the goal is to create formats that could be used in preventive screening or early response scenarios rather than replacing laboratory confirmation methods.
From an engineering perspective, the work demonstrates how molecular design can be translated into functional sensing systems with social impact. By embedding selectivity and signal generation into the chemistry itself, the sensor reduces dependence on external instrumentation and power-intensive analysis.
The team is also exploring adaptations of the molecular cage approach for detecting other illicit substances. While further development and validation are needed before widespread deployment, the study provides a clear example of how chemical engineering and materials science can contribute to addressing real-world safety challenges through simple, fast, and targeted detection technologies.
Adrian graduated with a Masters Degree (1st Class Honours) in Chemical Engineering from Chester University along with Harris. His master’s research aimed to develop a standardadised clean water oxygenation transfer procedure to test bubble diffusers that are currently used in the wastewater industry commercial market. He has also undergone placments in both US and China primarely focused within the R&D department and is an associate member of the Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE).
