Tiny Traces Help Researchers Identify Dangerous New Drugs
Australian scientists are using tiny traces of material to identify dangerous new drugs before they become widely known.
The Testing Traces team at the Australian National University analyses microscopic residues from samples submitted to Canberra’s drug-checking service.
New synthetic drugs can be difficult to identify because they may not appear in existing drug databases. Scientists must examine their chemical structure and work out exactly what the substance contains.
The ANU team uses advanced forensic chemistry to identify these unknown substances. Since 2022, the researchers have made several world-first drug detections.
Their work includes identifying three new stimulant drugs and finding a potent synthetic opioid in pills that people expected to contain oxycodone. More recently, the team reported Australia’s first detection of isotocyanozene, another synthetic opioid.
Finding these substances early allows health authorities to issue warnings within hours. It also gives forensic laboratories and emergency services information about drugs that may soon appear in other parts of Australia.
The research has supported safety assessments by the World Health Organization and contributed to international drug control decisions.
The team’s work was recently named a finalist in the 2026 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes for Excellence in Forensic Science.