Development and evaluation of a washing method for the removal of drugs infused on clothing

TY - JOUR

T1 - Development and evaluation of a washing method for the removal of drugs infused on clothing

AU - Chavan, Purva

AU - Norman, Caitlyn

AU - Marland, Victoria

AU - Murphy, Bronagh

AU - Cracknell, Autumn

AU - Pudney, Christopher R.

AU - Nic Daeid, Niamh

AU - Menard, Herve

N1 - © 2025 The Authors.

PY - 2025/12

Y1 - 2025/12

N2 - The presence of drugs, particularly new psychoactive substances (NPS), like synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) and novel benzodiazepines, infused in clothes sent to prisons necessitates the development of an effective and non-destructive removal method. The purpose of this study was to devise and assess a laboratory-scale washing method to effectively remove drugs infused in clothing. Small-scale laboratory experiments were performed on different textile types infused with a range of SCRAs commonly encountered within the Scottish Prison estate to test various washing conditions, including temperature, detergent types and concentrations. Large-scale laboratory experiments were performed to extend the applicability of the method to realistic scenarios. The study demonstrates that washing the infused clothes with a minimal amount of detergent currently used by the Scottish Prison Service (4–8 μg/mL) at 40 °C effectively removes up to 98 % of the drug compared to only about 28 % with water alone. Distinctive drug removal percentages were observed among different textile types, with cotton and wool exhibiting the highest drug removal percentage and polyamide and cotton-elastane the least. Drug transfer from infused to blank textiles was limited, with only a small fraction of the initial amount retained. The implications of this method can be applied to prisons worldwide, effectively mitigating drug-related issues and ensuring the safety of both prisoners and prison staff.

AB - The presence of drugs, particularly new psychoactive substances (NPS), like synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) and novel benzodiazepines, infused in clothes sent to prisons necessitates the development of an effective and non-destructive removal method. The purpose of this study was to devise and assess a laboratory-scale washing method to effectively remove drugs infused in clothing. Small-scale laboratory experiments were performed on different textile types infused with a range of SCRAs commonly encountered within the Scottish Prison estate to test various washing conditions, including temperature, detergent types and concentrations. Large-scale laboratory experiments were performed to extend the applicability of the method to realistic scenarios. The study demonstrates that washing the infused clothes with a minimal amount of detergent currently used by the Scottish Prison Service (4–8 μg/mL) at 40 °C effectively removes up to 98 % of the drug compared to only about 28 % with water alone. Distinctive drug removal percentages were observed among different textile types, with cotton and wool exhibiting the highest drug removal percentage and polyamide and cotton-elastane the least. Drug transfer from infused to blank textiles was limited, with only a small fraction of the initial amount retained. The implications of this method can be applied to prisons worldwide, effectively mitigating drug-related issues and ensuring the safety of both prisoners and prison staff.

KW - Drug-infused textile

KW - New psychoactive substances

KW - Textile infusion

KW - Drug removal

KW - Prisons

U2 - 10.1016/j.forc.2025.100695

DO - 10.1016/j.forc.2025.100695

M3 - Article

SN - 2468-1709

VL - 46

JO - Forensic Chemistry

JF - Forensic Chemistry

M1 - 100695

ER -