Austin American-Statesman

Professor makes meth in his lab ... for new breath analyzer

- By Stacy Fernandez Dallas Morning News Analyzer

A University of North Texas professor and one of his graduate students have spent the past nine years making meth, fentanyl and PCP in a lab.

It’s all legal — the feds signed off on it — and they’ve used the drugs to test a new device they’re developing: a breath analyzer that can identify marijuana, cocaine, methamphet­amine and other drugs in people’s systems.

Guido Verbeck, a chemistry professor, created the device along with grad student Tom Kiselak.

The device isn’t yet ready for the market. But Frisco-based InspectIR has been working with the researcher­s and sees law enforcemen­t and medical uses for the device.

“The demand is going to be off the charts,” said John Redmond, one of the founders of InspectIR.

The device is bulkier than a traditiona­l alcohol Breathalyz­er. The size is because a mass spectromet­er, a part which analyzes the chemicals, is contained within it.

A mass spectromet­er usually remains stationary and is about the size of two home printers stacked on top of each other. Verbeck has managed to make a smaller spectromet­er that can fit into the palm of a person’s hand.

The device is designed so that when a person breathes into it, carbon mesh captures the organic chemicals, eliminates the air and water from the breath and sends the rest to the mass spectromet­er. Within 15 seconds, the screen lights up with the results.

Verbeck has tested the gadget with the drugs he’s made and a machine that can imitate human breath.

Once they work out the kinks, Verbeck and Kiselak will need to win approvals and go through clinical trials with humans. Verbeck expects to be finished with the process by the end of the year.

If they’re successful, InspectIR

 ?? LOUIS DELUCA / DALLAS MORNING NEWS ?? University of North Texas professor Guido Verbeck talks about the breath analyzer; behind him are co-creator Tom Kiselak (right) and Tim Wing, InspectIR co-founder.
LOUIS DELUCA / DALLAS MORNING NEWS University of North Texas professor Guido Verbeck talks about the breath analyzer; behind him are co-creator Tom Kiselak (right) and Tim Wing, InspectIR co-founder.

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