Jim's kit will tell police in minutes what driver is on

DRUG-testing kits designed by a Derby scientist could soon be helping police across Europe win the war against dangerous drivers.

From his lab in Chester Green, Jim Campbell has designed Drug Swab – what he says is the most user-friendly roadside drugs test yet.

Currently, police officers can only test for alcohol using a breathalyser or carry out field impairment tests – including asking people to stand on one leg or walk in a straight line – for drugs.

But using a mouth swab, Mr Campbell's device can test saliva for 10 illicit substances – including cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy – in minutes.

Forensic scientist Mr Campbell, who is managing director of SureScreen Diagnostics, a provider of diagnostic medical and drug tests which employs 35 people, said: "This is totally novel and it will have quite a big international market."

At the same time, Mr Campbell has also developed a revolutionary system called Detechip for identifying an unknown substance

"With almost every other detection system, you have to know what you are looking for and do a test to see if it is that substance," said Mr Campbell.

"It is currently time-consuming and expensive. With this new system, police can put the substance on the microplate and know exactly what it is within minutes."

Using nanotechnology dyes – which are made up of very small particles – police can a put a substance they want to test on the special plate containing a number of wells.

Each well will contain a different dye and, depending on what substance is put in it, will react differently by turning a different colour.

The person using the device will then make a numeric note of the changes, with no change equalling a zero and a change equalling the number one.

By this method, each substance tested produces a unique binary code, which will identify exactly what it is.

Mr Campbell is also currently compiling a chart of codes to go with the device to let officers match the result and easily identify what substance they have. Both Mr Campbell's products are to be launched at a medical conference in Germany next week.

He said both devices are currently undergoing testing by the relevant governments in Europe, before they will be sold to companies who would then market them to police forces.