Xinyu Zhang

Background/Objectives: Identification of tools to minimize opioid-related harms is critical in the U.S. The purpose of this study was to better understand community responder and healthcare provider perceptions and preferences regarding the design and function of a potential new opioid sensor device (OSD). Methods: Adults aged ≥ 18 years employed as community responders or healthcare providers in Alabama were recruited via email to participate in an anonymous online cross-sectional survey informed by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). Primary outcomes were assessed via multiple-choice and 7-point Likert-type scales (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree) and included the following topics: (1) past OSD utilization (4 items); (2) perceived importance of OSD design elements (15 items); (3) OSD function and cost preferences (3 items); and (4) UTAUT measures including perceived usefulness of OSDs (3 items), ease of use (4 items), social factors (4 items), resources (4 items), concerns (3 items), and intentions (3 items). Differences in UTAUT measures across professions were assessed via Mann–Whitney U tests, and predictors of OSD utilization intention were analyzed via multiple linear regression. Results: Respondents (N = 145) included pharmacists (40.0%), nurses (23.4%), physicians (14.5%), behavioral health (4.8%), social work (4.8%), and law enforcement (0.7%). Availability in hospital emergency departments was rated as the most important device element (mean [SD] score: 6.66 [0.80]), followed by sensitivity and specificity of the test (6.42 [0.98]), rapid detection time (6.42 [0.88]), ability to detect opioids in a broad range of substance (6.42 [0.93]), and availability in law enforcement offices (6.33 [1.08]). A 2–5 min detection time was rated as reasonable by 32.6% of respondents, with 53.0% preferring to pay p < 0.001), social acceptance (β = 0.281; p = 0.023), and resource availability (β = 0.708; p = 0.002) were positive predictors and perceived ease of use was a negative predictor (β = −0.472; p = 0.007) of intention to use an OSD. Conclusions: Newly developed OSDs should consider prioritizing accessibility in hospital emergency departments and law enforcement offices, ability to detect a broad range of opioids, detection time between 2 and 5 min, and cost less than USD 15 per test. Future research may explore perspectives from a more diverse sample across multiple states and different professional roles.

Fentanyl’s extreme potency and widespread presence in illicit drug mixtures demand the development of rapid, selective, and field-deployable sensing technologies. In this study, we present an electrochemical impedance-based sensor for fentanyl detection using a polyaniline-arginine (PANI-Arg) modified stainless-steel electrode immersed in the ionic liquid 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (BMPyrr-NTf₂). The sensor exhibits nanomolar sensitivity, fast response times, and strong selectivity against common street drug adulterants and over-the-counter medications. Optimization studies revealed that a DC potential of +0.4 V maximizes phase angle shifts (Δφ) without compromising polymer stability. Kinetic analysis demonstrated pseudo-first-order adsorption, with ~90% of signal attained within 5 minutes. Temperature-dependent trials confirmed that Δφ increases with temperature, consistent with a dual thermokinetic model combining Arrhenius-based ion conduction and Langmuir adsorption isotherm behavior. Importantly, the use of BMPyrr-NTf₂ enables stable sensor performance at subzero temperatures, a condition where aqueous systems fail due to freezing. This unique thermal stability makes the platform especially suitable for uncontrolled environments in forensic or field applications. Together, these findings validate the potential of PANI-Arg sensors in ILs as practical, portable tools for real-time fentanyl detection.

The electrodeposition of polypyrrole on AA2024-T3 was prepared by applying a constant potential via three different dopants including sulfuric acid (SA), p-toluenesulfonic acid (pTSA), and 2-naphthalenesulfonic acid (2NS). The polypyrrole coating was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The anti-corrosion behavior was examined by Tafel curves to find the optimized concentration and deposition time for each dopant. Polypyrrole was successfully electrodeposited on AA2024-T3 with pTSA and 2NS dopants, which exhibited better corrosion protection compared with bare AA2024-T3. In addition, a conventional coating was applied with spray paint considered as a topcoat to further investigate the protection efficiency of the polypyrrole. The 2NS-doped polypyrrole exhibited a good protection efficiency of 99.99%. The results demonstrated that the chemical structure of the dopant influences the corrosion protection where the corrosion potential has positively increased with the extended electrodeposition time. Topcoat with spray paint working as a surface barrier can protect the polypyrrole coating and enlarge the protection time.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious and fatal disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In general, the diagnostic tests for COVID-19 are based on the detection of nucleic acid, antibodies, and protein. Among different analytes, the gold standard of the COVID-19 test is the viral nucleic acid detection performed by the quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) method. However, the gold standard test is time-consuming and requires expensive instrumentation, as well as trained personnel. Herein, we report an ultrasensitive electrochemical biosensor based on zinc sulfide/graphene (ZnS/graphene) nanocomposite for rapid and direct nucleic acid detection of SARS-CoV-2. We demonstrated a simple one-step route for manufacturing ZnS/graphene by employing an ultrafast (90 s) microwave-based non-equilibrium heating approach. The biosensor assay involves the hybridization of target DNA or RNA samples with probes that are immersed into a redox active electrolyte, which are detectable by electrochemical measurements. In this study, we have performed the tests for synthetic DNA samples and, SARS-CoV-2 standard samples. Experimental results revealed that the proposed biosensor could detect low concentrations of all different SARS-CoV-2 samples, using such as S, ORF 1a, and ORF 1b gene sequences as targets. This microwave-synthesized ZnS/graphene-based biosensor could be reliably used as an on-site, real-time, and rapid diagnostic test for COVID-19.

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